Safety Net systems are designed to provide healthcare and other wraparound services to people who are uninsured, underinsured, or have high-deductible plans, and other vulnerable populations.
Donor Name: Buncombe County
State: North Carolina
County: Buncombe County (NC)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/27/2026
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
These funds are intended to help fill gaps and thereby increase access to care. Two funding streams, totaling $1.2 million annually, are available for a three-year grant cycle beginning in FY2027: Safety Net funds, supported by County dollars and contracted directly through the County (amount may vary annually); MOE funds, supported by County dollars and passed through to Vaya Health
Approximately 11.2% of Buncombe County residents live in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau. 2024) and 20.5% of Buncombe County adults between 18 – 64 years of age lack health insurance (2024 WNC Healthy Impact Community Health Survey, WNC Health Network, Inc.). Safety Net systems are designed to provide healthcare and other wraparound services to people who are uninsured, underinsured, or have high-deductible plans, and other vulnerable populations. These funds are intended to help fill gaps and thereby increase access to care.
To determine the priorities for this funding, Buncombe County Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health conducted a review of results and recommendations from the Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan, the County Strategic Plan, survey from behavioral health-related County departments and subject matter experts from local community collaboratives, such as the County’s Safety Net Committee and Behavioral Health Justice Collaborative.
Funding Information
Minimum/maximum budget of $600,000 each year.
Grant Period
July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for Safety Net/MOE funds, an organization and project must meet the following criteria:
- Status. Applicants can be non-profit or for-profit; however, departments/programs of Buncombe County Government may not apply. Organizations must operate in Buncombe County with services to people in Buncombe County. Organizations should be in good standing with Vaya Health and/or not on the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities by the Office of Inspector General.
- Projects. Funded projects must align with one or more of the following priorities identified for this year’s funding. Organizations are encouraged to partner with smaller community-based organizations (CBOs), preferentially those CBOs closest to vulnerable populations, to assist with implementation and/or outreach to marginalized community members.
- Behavioral Health and Substance Use Services
- Clinical Care, Preventative Healthcare, and Whole Person Care
- Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)
- Application. Organizations must submit a grant application before the application due date. No late applications will be accepted. Joint applications will be accepted with the primary applicant being the funding recipient.
- Funding. Annual funding is subject to revenue availability but could be as much as $600,000 for Safety Net activities and $600,000 for MOE funds. Depending on the project, an awardee may receive a portion of funds from either funding stream. If a combination of proposals to be awarded exceeds the approved budget, the review committee will work with applicants on adjusting budgets with a focus on equitable distribution.
For more information, visit Buncombe County.
