Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro Announces $1.5 Million in Grants
The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro (“Community Foundation”) announces $1.5 million in nonprofit grants to support the Foundation’s focus on eldercare, health and wellness, economic mobility, and cultural vibrancy in the Triad. $1.1 million of these funds will support capital improvements for equipment, facilities, and housing for older adults through the Charles L. “Buddy” Weill Fund (“Weill Fund”), a permanent endowment of the Community Foundation.
Elder Care/The Charles L. “Buddy” Weill Fund
Tim Rice, chair of the Weill Fund Advisory Committee, says, “Buddy intended that his assets be deployed to improve the care of the elderly in our community. We are building on Buddy’s legacy by supporting five outstanding area nonprofits, helping residents of the Triad live longer, healthier, and more comfortable lives.”
Mr. Weill, who passed away in 2020, bequeathed $50 million to the Community Foundation to help greater Greensboro become the premier region in the U.S. for facilities and services for older adults. This year, Weill Fund grantees include:
- Community Housing Solutions ($303,600 over two years) To provide critical home repairs for at least 125 low-income senior adult homeowners
- Kellin Foundation ($500,000 over two years) To support facility upgrades for a senior center within the Hope Hub
- Mount Zion Baptist Church of Greensboro (Mt. Zion Development Corporation) ($100,000.00 over two years) To build capacity, organizational and governance structure, and a strategic plan leading to the development of at least 300 units of housing
- Senior Resources of Guilford ($36,000) To purchase a delivery vehicle that would deliver medically tailored meals for individuals 60 and older in Guilford County
- The Servant Center ($250,000 over two years) To provide shelter and housing services to unhoused older and disabled individuals, too ill or frail to recover from illness or injury in a shelter or on the streets
Cultural Vibrancy
The Community Foundation is investing in a culturally vibrant Greensboro where all residents have access to diverse cultural, educational, and natural resources. 2024 grantees include:
- Cambodian Cultural Center of North Carolina ($14,000 over two years) To bolster organizational sustainability and cultural programming by increasing organizational capacity and delivering youth programming and traditional cooking
- Casa Azul of Greensboro ($40,000 over two years) To support operational expansion and deepen Latino art and literacy projects across Greensboro.
- Piedmont Blues Preservation Society ($60,000 over two years) To expand organizational capacity that allows the organization to execute community building and grow resources that provide cultural and educational experiences.
- Royal Expressions Contemporary Ballet ($14,000) To support the production of The Hair Journey, which premiered on April 23, 2024, at the UNCG Auditorium; teach dance lessons and facilitate workshops around story time, hair braiding classes, sewing, and visual arts leading up to performances; and allow community members to learn about Black hair culture and history
Economic Mobility
The Community Foundation is advancing economic mobility by funding organizations engaged in workforce development and education, small business and entrepreneurship, and access to workforce housing. 2024 grantees include:
- Church Worldwide Services Greensboro ($25,000) To support workforce development and education efforts for racially and culturally diverse refugees and immigrants in Guilford County
- National Institute of Minority Economic Development ($60,000 over two years) To build capacity of women and BIPOC-owned businesses
- SchermCo Foundation ($25,000)
To support workforce development and education efforts through family engagement - She Built This City ($50,000 over two years) To provide women in Greensboro access to the skilled trade fields through its Pre-Apprenticeship program
Health and Wellness
The Community Foundation recognizes that health and wellness are foundational components of any thriving community and that residents must have the opportunity to age with dignity and access services that foster health and wellness for the whole person. The Community Foundation also funds direct services for uninsured and underinsured populations in Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham Counties and increases access to fresh, healthy, and nourishing food. 2024 grantees include:
- Black Child Development of Greensboro ($10,000) To increase food security for Extended Learning Opportunities program participants by purchasing hydroponic grow towers and providing healthy food packages
- Children’s Cancer Partners ($15,000) To expand access to transportation to pediatric oncology care for children diagnosed with cancer in Guilford, Randolph, and Rockingham
- Organization to Provide Equal Access to Technology ($10,000) To fund scholarships for Silver Tech, a computer training program that provides individuals aged 50 and above with the necessary skills to use technology
- Second Harvest Food Bank ($15,000) To support the distribution of fresh produce, interactive cooking classes, and garden workshops.
- Triad Health Project ($15,000) To support uninsured and undocumented people living with HIV in Guilford and Randolph counties through initial intake to the establishment of services
“Local nonprofits play a crucial role in making Greensboro a thriving, healthy, and culturally vibrant community,” said Marissa Benton-Brown. “By providing these grants, we empower these organizations, support their efforts, and drive meaningful change in our community.”
The Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro is a charitable organization that inspires giving, maximizes opportunitieses, and strengthens communities for present and future generations. With assets of over $300 million and 700+ charitable funds under management, it promotes philanthropy by addressing emerging community issues, managing permanent endowments, and collaborating with individuals, families, corporations, private foundations, and nonprofit organizations in achieving their charitable objectives. In 2023, it received $13.6 million in contributions and granted $18.2 million to area nonprofit organizations and beyond. For more information, visit www.cfgg.org.
The Charles “Buddy” Weill Fund is a permanent field of interest endowment to support capital expansions and the improvements of facilities that primarily support eldercare and healthcare and to equip or improve the equipment of such facilities. A native of Greensboro, Weill enjoyed a successful career in insurance and real estate. He owned and operated Weill Investment Company and served as President and CEO of Robins & Weill, Inc., which his father had founded in 1911. Outside of work, he was an active member of the real estate industry, higher education, healthcare, and charitable organizations based in Greensboro and across North Carolina, often serving in leadership or officer positions within several at the same time.