The Pisgah Health Foundation in Brevard, North Carolina, has announced forty-six grants totaling $2.5 million in support of the health and well-being of communities in western North Carolina.

One of six foundations created in 2018 from the proceeds of the sale of Mission Health in Asheville, North Carolina, to HCA Healthcare, the foundation (formerly Transylvania Regional Hospital Foundation) awarded grants in the areas of food and food insecurity ($210,313), social determinants of health ($984,525), social cohesion ($399,950), education ($631,450), and housing ($342,500). While the foundation gave priority to nonprofits serving Henderson and Transylvania counties in this, its first funding cycle, future grants will also be awarded to organizations serving Haywood, Madison, and Buncombe counties.

Grant recipients include the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), The Free Clinics, the Henderson County Education Foundation, Inheritance of Hope, Safelight, Inc., Meals on Wheels of Brevard, the Housing Assistance Corporation, and Smart Start of Transylvania County.

"Nonprofits were very engaged. Our grant committee exceeded two hundred and fifty volunteer hours reviewing funding requests," said Pisgah Foundation board chair Cathleen Blanchard. "Given our funding parameters, programs that demonstrated the greatest need and promised the greatest impact in specific social service areas were selected. We value their hard work."