The Unifour Foundation Endowment Fund is a charitable fund managed by the North Carolina Community Foundation (NCCF). It was established in 1998 with proceeds from the sale of the Hickory Merchants Association’s credit reporting company to Equifax. The fund promotes general welfare among citizens in the four-county Unifour region, which includes Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties in North Carolina.

This grant program supports nonprofit organizations that serve these four counties and address a wide range of community needs, including education, human services, basic needs, arts, historic preservation, health, recreation, youth development, and animal welfare. The fund prioritizes applications that focus on early childhood education, substance use disorders, and mental health. Additionally, projects that address strong community needs such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, or educational needs are given preference.

The grant application period opens on February 28, 2025, and closes at noon Eastern Time on April 1, 2025. Late applications, including those affected by technical difficulties, will not be considered. Applicants must apply through NCCF’s online grant application system. New applicants must create an account following the guidelines provided in NCCF’s Training Module I, while returning applicants can log in with their existing credentials. Training Module II provides guidance on adding a new grant application.

Grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000. In 2024, the Unifour Foundation Endowment Fund awarded a total of $262,740 through its competitive grant process. The number of awards granted per cycle varies depending on funding availability and the quality of applications.

For further inquiries, applicants can contact the North Carolina Community Foundation at its Raleigh office. The foundation can be reached via phone at 919-828-4387 or toll-free at 800-532-1349. Additional information and application guidelines are available on the NCCF website.