WNC Communities

Each year since 1949, WNCC has evaluated the applications of community centers across 20 counties in WNC and given cash awards to a network of over 70 community centers that have offered quality programs to serve their resident's needs. Each November, the WNC Awards event brings these community clubs together to celebrate and receive recognition and cash awards for the work they have accomplished during the year. In 2022, 64 participating communities received over $50,000 (donated by WNC business and industry) in awards to recognize their hard work. These good deeds represented 7100 volunteers, clocking 96,000 volunteer hours, representing an estimated $4.6 million investment of time, talent, and money benefitting rural residents in WNC. These efforts include providing food pantries, meals, assistance with accessing medical care, affordable rental space for events, family- oriented social gatherings, free wi-fi, business incubation, afterschool programs, and more.

Hemlock Restoration Initiative (HRI): The objective of HRI is to restore eastern and Carolina hemlocks to their native habitats throughout North Carolina and to mitigate damage to hemlocks caused by infestation of the hemlock woolly adelgid. More specifically, the goal is to work with a variety of partners and current restoration initiatives to ensure that eastern and Carolina hemlocks can resist the deadly hemlock woolly adelgid and survive to maturity on North Carolina's public and private lands. This involves Identifying and establishing hemlock conservation areas, educating landowners on how to economically treat and manage the hemlocks, increasing the number of trees being treated on public lands, implementing Integrated Pest Management and long-term biological controls and advancing the development of other control strategies and restoration techniques. In 2022, over 21,200 trees were treated in 16 counties in WNC, over 1450 predator beetles were released, 28 outreach events, educational hikes, and presentations were given, 5 management workshops/demonstrations were provided and 899 volunteer hours were utilized to support the HRI program.

WNC Agricultural Options Program: Since 2012, WNC Communities has managed a cost-share grant program to support small family farms in WNC. Funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, through the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, the mission of the WNC AgOptions program is to build sustainable farming communities in the mountain region by providing resources directly to farmers who are diversifying and expanding their operations. In 2022, WNC AgOptions awarded 37 farm businesses a total of $288,000 in $4,000 and $8,000 grants. Funded projects reflect the resiliency of WNC farmers as they adapt operations and respond to the dynamics of a world changed by COVID-19. Returns on initial farm investments are often immediate, as new farm income typically matches the size of the grants in the first year of the projects. Income continues to increase year after year, often doubling by the third year of the projects. Since the program's inception in 2004, 600+ farm businesses in WNC have received over $3 million in support.