The dream of building a community foundation took root during a town planning process when participants began discussing a “big idea” to address community challenges. The framework for transforming that big idea into a local foundation benefited from interviews with more than 50 community residents and leaders.

In partnership with local nonprofits and houses of worship, Davidson Community Foundation provides
support for immediate needs and for longer-term transformative projects. Its goals are grounded in the values of social justice, racial and socioeconomic diversity and inclusion, affordable housing, neighborhood preservation, and the unique and powerful bond we have as a community. Our desire is to work with our
local nonprofits to expand their capacity and grow philanthropy substantially.

Established at the dawn of the COVID crisis, Davidson Community Foundation immediately raised nearly
$500,000 and distributed over $350,000 in grants to local nonprofit partners. That support provided critical
assistance to 230 families – more than 750 neighbors in need – for rent/housing, food, medical expenses, utility services and transportation.
Since then, we have:

• Completed a comprehensive needs assessment with the West Davidson community
• Organized and led the 2021 Davidson Housing Summit with local agency leaders
• Led community efforts to establish eight permanently affordable housing units in the Hoke Townhome
  Development on Jetton Street
• Raised $400,000 toward the planned purchase of the Hoke Townhome units by Davidson Housing
  Coalition
• Worked with Davidson Housing Coalition to secure $300,000 in grants from Mecklenburg County to subsidize the Hoke Townhome units, which will help lower rental rates

We are an all-volunteer effort aimed at growing the philanthropic pie to increase the capacity of our local
nonprofits and to focus strategic funding on critical community needs. The foundation is powered by
Foundation For The Carolina as a Field of Interest Fund, and 99 cents of every donor dollar goes directly to the community.

Our volunteer Board of Advisors includes leaders from the community, local nonprofits,
and Davidson College. Members are selected based on work experience and community involvement,
as well as racial, socioeconomic and geographic diversity. Current board members are:

Our committees include community needs/strategies, grants review, governance, and communications/ marketing. We leverage partnerships – with residents, nonprofits, houses of worship, Town of Davidson, Davidson College, local businesses and Foundation For The Carolinas – to support transformative initiatives that strengthen our community. We embrace a commitment to performance, transparency and accountability for our work and for the organizations receiving our grants.

We aim to be a permanent foundation that can enhance the lives of Davidson residents, now and for
generations ahead. Our Board of Advisors is committed to studying community needs and galvanizing support to address those needs. Plans include fundraising for emergency efforts, along with longer-term campaigns. In addition to recurring donations, we are accepting bequests and will work with donors to arrange planned giving.

After beginning in 2020 with an initial gift of $15,000, the Board of Advisors set an emergency fundraising goal at $250,000 based on a detailed needs assessment. As of January 2021, the Board had raised more than $400,000 and distributed over $350,000 to local nonprofits to support families in need due to COVID.

In the spring and summer of 2021, the foundation raised $400,000 to support partnership funding of eight
affordable units within the Hoke Townhome Development. Ongoing work includes developing a plan for
sustainable funding to help meet community needs long term. 

Our donations come from generous residents who are reaching beyond their current giving to nonprofits and houses of worship. We are also applying for local, regional and federal grants that will help advance our mission.

A grants committee of the Board of Advisors reviews proposals and recommends awardees and funding
amounts to the full board for approval. The funding comes directly from Foundation For The Carolinas to the grantee.

Non-profit (501c3) agencies are eligible for grant funding from the DCF. Individuals or for profit corporations
or organizations are not eligible for funding.

Our Board of Advisors determines focus areas and projects based on detailed and thoughtful analyses informed by the work of the Community Needs and Strategies Committee. Stabilization of the West Davidson community is an important need that was identified as part of the Town of Davidson’s 2020 Comprehensive Planning Process and the Community Foundation’s Housing needs assessment and Housing Summit results. Stabilization of the West Davidson Community, including enhancing the quality of housing and impeding gentrification of the community, are among critical challenges to be considered.

The 2020 plan was also a source of information on needs such as affordable housing across low- to middleincome residents. Additionally, our Community Needs & Strategies Committee conducted a comprehensive community assessment using focus groups, interviews, a resident survey, and analysis of key reports. The foundation initially conducted 20 in-depth interviews with resident-leaders in West Davidson. The greatest concern expressed was lack of affordable housing, followed by neighborhood gentrification and persistent segregation and racism.

Based on those results, the foundation personally delivered about 240 surveys in West Davidson to elicit priorities. We received responses from 36 percent of residents. The greatest needs or opportunities were: 1)
affordable housing; 2) major repairs/rehabs; and 3) recognition of the contributions of Blacks to the Davidson community.

a. To donate online visit www.fftc.org/Davidson
b. To send a check, please make the check payable to:
Foundation For The Carolinas
ATTN: Davidson Community Foundation, Fund #3749
220 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
c. For an ACH transfer, send to:
Truist Bank
Account Name: Foundation For The Carolinas
Special Instructions: Davidson Community Foundation, Fund #3749
Bank Routing # (ABA): 021052053
Account #: 48477231
d. For a gift through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF),
Select Foundation for the Carolinas as the beneficiary, and designate Davidson Community Foundation, Fund #3749 in the notes section.
e. To Donate a Gift of Stock:
Please direct your broker to contact our Donor Relations team at 704.973.4529 or donorrelations@fftc.org prior to asset delivery to ensure proper and timely credit of your gift or to coordinate transfer of mutual fund shares. The stock/funds should be credited to Davidson Community Foundation, Fund #3749 with FFTC.
f. All donations to DCF are tax deductible as a Fund of Foundation For The Carolinas, a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization.