NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The New Hanover Community Endowment has announced 16 new grants worth over $20.3 million. These issuances bring The Endowment’s 2025 total to 158 awards and over $45.2 million.
“Lasting change comes from integrated approaches and collaboration,” Sophie Dagenais, Interim President and CEO of The Endowment, wrote in a press release. “By supporting organizations and partnerships that work across multiple pillars, we are building a stronger, more resilient community where every resident has the opportunity to thrive.”
One of the grants is $2.7 million for New Hanover County Schools to pilot a targeted staffing initiative. The Endowment notes the grant is intended to “close achievement gaps, support positive behavior, increase student engagement, improve graduation rates, and create positive learning environments.”
Earlier this summer, the district has applied for funding from The Endowment to fund 42 specialists in a two year pilot program worth $4 million annually. Each specialist would be deployed to address an issue, such as attendance or math scores, decided on a school-by-school basis. Port City Daily asked both The Endowment and NHCS how this pilot program would change only $2.7 million granted but did not receive a response by press.
In the past, New Hanover County Schools has been the recipient of several Endowment grants, including an $8.7-million grant in 2024 to fund a literacy coordinator at every middle school and pre-K center. Indirectly, NHCS also benefits from $900,000 grant through Communities In Schools of Cape Fear for filling gaps in classroom needs.
NHCS wasn’t The Endowment’s only grant recipient Tuesday. The following organizations also recieved funding:
Cape Fear Literacy Council: $370,000 to expand free one-on-one tutoring and small-group instruction in Adult Literacy, English as a Second Language, and Digital Literacy.
Child Development Center: $200,000 in support of students with disabilities and their needs, by bridging gaps between state funding and the true cost of education and therapeutic services.
Young Scientist Academy: $289,292 to expand in-school and after-school STEM programs
YWCA of Lower Cape Fear: $564,800 to support kinship care by assisting grandparents serving as foster caregivers, enhance aquatics programs for children and under-resourced groups, and expand childcare capacity through strategic capital improvements
Community Care of Lower Cape Fear: $1.5 million for the development of a Social Care Network with local Human Service Organizations building on the success of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP)
LifeCare Memory Partners: $5.1 million to expand dementia care services and strengthen support for families, including resources, education, and programs that enhance quality of life for individuals living with memory loss and their caregivers
Welcome Home Angel: $1,143,304 to support of individuals with special health needs and to launch the ABLE program, incorporating the CAPABLE model to help participants safely and independently age in place.
Elderhaus: $987,350 to strengthen programs and operations for older adults through operating and capital investment that promote social engagement and well-being.
Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear: $50,000 to support emergency sheltering and homelessness and foster care prevention
Domestic Violence Shelter and Services: $1.4 million to sustain and expand prevention and intervention services for survivors of intimate partner violence.
Legal Aid of North Carolina: $1.1 million to consolidate and strengthen services by colocating staff at the Harrelson Center and continuing the Second Chance Program to reduce recidivism and improve employment outcomes
Carousel Child Advocacy Center: $1.9 million to support operations and promote program sustainability in New Hanover County.
Voyage (Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence): $560,000 to support violence prevention programs and services targeting youth including, enrichment and employment initiatives and case management
New H.O.P.E. CDC: $2.2 million to purchase and renovate an 11-unit, 22-bed apartment complex for conversion to workforce housing
Catholic Charities, Cape Fear Office: $248,000 to expand mobile food pantry services and provide targeted support for individual facing transportation and accessibility barriers to food access
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