Our Mission
The Pigeon River Fund exists to improve the streams and rivers of Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties. The Fund supports activities that:

• Improve surface water quality
• Enhance fish and wildlife management and habitats
• Expand public access
• Increase citizens' awareness about their roles in protecting these resources

Grantmaking Priorities
Grant requests may address any of the four focus areas listed above. All projects submitted for funding must contain an educational component, preferably focused on helping individuals understand how their actions relate to the overall health of the river basin. The Pigeon River Fund puts a priority on projects that:

• Have a long term impact
• Provide direct benefits
• Show measurable results
• Demonstrate co-funding (leveraging) from other funds, or volunteer or in-kind resources, thus indicating broad support for the proposed project
• Implement creative approaches
• Have a demonstration element or adapt proven models
• Coordinate and cooperate with existing efforts
• Increase awareness of how varied activities affect the overall river basin

Predicting Impact
The following indicators have been identified to predict positive environmental impacts. When applying, grantseekers are asked to show how they will achieve one or more of these effects, or other measurable improvements, in the designated geographic area:

• Reduced erosion and sedimentation, including development and implementation of "best management practices" for erosion control, with emphasis on those practices that prevent erosion at its source (THE FUND'S HIGHEST PRIORITY)
• Expanded acreage of buffer zones
• Improved management of agricultural waste
• Decreased amounts of trash
• Improved controls or management of urban runoff
• Maintenance of mountain wetlands
• Improved fish and wildlife management or habitat
• Expanded public use or increased access
• Decreased pollution levels

Application Procedures
To be eligible, applicants must have 501(c) 3 tax-exempt status or be a public agency located within or serving Haywood, Buncombe, or Madison counties.

It is recommended that you discuss your proposal with Pigeon River Fund staff prior to completing an application. You will be advised about what activities may be appropriate for Pigeon River Fund support and key points to address in your application. Contact Tim Richards (Phone (828) 254-4960 or trichards@cfwnc.org) to request assistance with a grant application.

You may request an application form be mailed to you or you may access the forms by clicking the following links:

	Pigeon River Fund Grant Application
	CFWNC Grant Application Cover Page (required by all applicants)
	CFWNC Grant Application Instructions (review to insure you have submitted all required attachments for your application)

Deadlines

Proposal deadlines are March 15 and September 15.

A completed application form must be submitted to The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina by 5 p.m. on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, applications are due the next business day. Late applications are not accepted. The Community Foundation office is located in the BB&T Building, 16th Floor, One West Pack Square, in downtown Asheville. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1888, Asheville, NC 28802. Your organization will receive notification of the receipt of your application within two weeks following the application deadline.

Grant Review Process
In reviewing proposals, we consider the scope of the problem or opportunity presented the degree of potential benefit to the community, and the capability of the applicant organization to achieve the anticipated results. The Pigeon River Fund Board also considers the following questions:

• Does it provide a critical intervention point for addressing a problem or issue?
• Does it set out a promising approach?
• Are the goals realistic & outcomes measurable?
• Does it show collaboration with other agencies?
• Can the project get funding from other sources?
• What are the prospects for future support?

Applications are screened for completeness, clarity, compliance with eligibility requirements and appropriateness for funding under the Pigeon River Fund. Applications are reviewed by the Pigeon River Fund Board, which has responsibility for final disbursement of grant funds. Site visits and review by technical advisors are used as warranted to assist the Board in their decisions.

Notification of grant decision is made in writing, generally within 10 weeks after the deadline. Grant funds, if awarded, are disbursed after completion of a grant agreement letter. Applicants should review the timeline for the grant process and use of grant funds with the program officer before applying.

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License Establishing The Pigeon River Fund

The State of North Carolina and Carolina Power & Light established the Pigeon River Fund. CP&L, pursuant to a License issued November 4, 1994 by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, provided funds to support the types of purposes outlined in this grantmaking program. Projects and activities must provide direct benefits: to surface water quality; fish and wildlife habitat in the immediate vicinity of a surface water body; fishery management; or public access to a surface water body in a covered river basin. "Covered river basin" shall include the Pigeon River and French Broad River basins as depicted in the State of North Carolina Hydrologic Unit Map - 1974. A majority of the Fund dollars authorized for expenditure in any given year must be committed within the Pigeon River Basin, unless the Pigeon River Fund Board determines that this condition should be waived due to the unavailability of projects in the Pigeon River Basin. Activities undertaken with contributions by the licensee must provide direct benefits within the Carolina Power & Light service area in Western North Carolina as it exists as of the date of this license. Projects and activities must not be related to or in support of litigation in any administrative or judicial forum, other than litigation intended to protect the Fund's monetary assets or in defense of challenges to the Pigeon River Fund Board's decisions.

(A complete copy of the License is available upon request. Nothing contained in the application materials is intended to be in conflict with the License.)

The Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation
of Western North Carolina
      P.O. Box 1888 Asheville, NC 28802
Phn 828 254-4960     Fax 828 251-2258