The Buncombe County is seeking applications for its 2027 Isaac Coleman Grants to improve outcomes in education.
Donor Name: Buncombe County
State: North Carolina
County: Buncombe County (NC)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/20/2026
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
This community investment supports Buncombe County Strategic Plan Goal: “Work with community partners towards parity in the public-school graduation gap with a 50% reduction amongst at risk populations by 2030.” According to data from the NC Department of Public Instruction, the subgroups graduating at lower rates than the average for all students in Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools are those with the following designations: Black; Hispanic; Two or More Races; Economically Disadvantaged; English Learners; Foster Care; Homeless; and Students with Disabilities.
This investment also supports Buncombe County’s commitment to United for Youth (U4Y), a local cradle-to-career partnership with a mission to “actively identify and remove barriers to opportunity and co-create solutions that support student success” and a goal that “all Asheville City and Buncombe County students graduate from high school ready and fully prepared to pursue their goals and dreams.” U4Y has established grade-level opportunity objectives for school-aged youth with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for youth through community and adult engagement.
Funding Information
Applicants may request from $100,000 to $150,000.
Project Period
July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants
- Applicants must be nonprofit organizations, classified as tax-exempt by the IRS, and compliant with legal requirements for nonprofits.
- Organizations must operate in Buncombe County and serve its residents.
- If an organization does not meet these criteria, it may partner with another organization to serve as fiscal sponsor for the purposes of administering grant funding.
- Only one application per organization may be submitted. Exception = If an organization is applying as a fiscal sponsor for another group, more than one application is allowed.
Projects
- Projects must directly support the goal of increasing parity in public school graduation gaps with services. Services must be provided to students that attend Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools and be open to the following subgroups:
- Black
- Hispanic
- Two or More Races
- Economically Disadvantaged
- English Learners
- Foster Care Homeless
- Students with Disabilities
- Projects must directly support one or more U4Y opportunity objectives for school-aged youth:
- K-6th grade: Dedicated, highly-trained educators ensuring foundational reading skills that bring all students to grade-level reading
- Grades 4th-9th: Culturally-reflective adult and near-peer mentors and mentoring opportunities offering guidance, support, and encourage dreaming
- Grades 10th+: Quality, well-supported, paid internships and apprenticeship pathways offering practical experience and career preparation & Support networks providing guidance and resources for college-bound students before and during higher education enrollment.
- Projects must meet a public purpose and fall within County authority to fund per NC General Statutes, to be affirmed by review by Buncombe County Legal Department prior to grant award. Examples of unallowable projects include: those providing exclusive benefit or privilege to private individuals; those that discriminate in the provision of services based on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristics.
- Project expenses must be reasonable and allowable under county guidelines. The County reserves the right to review and approve all budgeted expenses. Examples of unallowable expenses include: goods or services for personal use; lobbying; entertainment; prizes; fundraising; legal fees; investments & investment management, fines, penalties, damages and other settlements
For more information, visit Buncombe County.
