Great Smokies Health Foundation
Great Smokies Health Foundation is a public charity based in Sylva, North Carolina. Formed in 1997, it supports healthcare-related programs through grants and supportive services.
Great Smokies Health Foundation at a glance
In short: Great Smokies Health Foundation gave $488K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $487,924
- +11.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +43.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,214
- -22.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $11,760,473
- +6.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Great Smokies Health Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 176, Sylva, NC 28779
Phone: (828) 507-2270
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Great Smokies Health Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Swain Co Public Schools ($100K). Together the top 10 received $393K.
Grant Size Distribution
54 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 54 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission names Jackson, Swain, Graham, and Macon counties in North Carolina. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to recipients in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Great Smokies Health Foundation gives
- 26% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2019) to $488K (2025). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $488K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Swain Co Public Schools Bryson City, NC | Community Health Programs | $100,000 |
| Jackson Co Public Schools Sylva, NC | Community Health Programs | $96,000 |
| Graham Co Public School Robbinsville, NC | Community Health Programs | $90,000 |
| Mountain Hope Nursing Alliance Sylva, NC | Community Health Programs | $35,000 |
| Jackson Co Dept of Public Health Sylva, NC | Community Health Programs | $21,450 |
| Blue Ridge Health Hendersonville, NC | Community Health Programs | $15,000 |
| Swain Co Health Dept Bryson City, NC | Community Health Programs | $12,500 |
| Jackson Co Emergency Management Sylva, NC | Community Health Programs | $8,000 |
| Rolling Start Sylva, NC | 7500Community Health Programs | $7,500 |
| Child Medical Collaborative Inc Franklin, NC | Community Health Programs | $7,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,760,473 | $777,254 | $901,945 | $487,924 | 23 | $619,986 |
| 2024 | $11,063,780 | $700,616 | $778,697 | $436,943 | 16 | $553,250 |
| 2023 | $9,418,457 | $-92,432 | $632,144 | $258,320 | 12 | $-220,235 |
| 2022 | $8,781,893 | $654,835 | $382,341 | $144,458 | Total only | $522,335 |
| 2021 | $11,170,971 | $771,945 | $443,342 | $21,615 | 3 | $584,127 |
| 2020 | $9,813,827 | $630,800 | $987,542 | $85,406 | 7 | $35,941 |
| 2019 | $9,828,720 | $172,788 | $388,842 | $10,000 | 1 | $18,006 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to improve healthcare in Jackson, Swain, Graham, and Macon counties in North Carolina. It provides funding to nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental agencies and says it is working with community healthcare providers and agencies to identify areas for future funding.
The 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported services. Child Medical Collaborative Inc says it promotes healing for abused children through specialized medical evaluations; Full Spectrum Farms Inc describes providing a farm community for adults with autism and their families; and SwainQualla SAFE Inc says it serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and works to prevent violence. Other 2025 grantees describe work in youth development (HIGHTS Inc), health and wellness services (VECINOS INC), and Title V, transportation, and nutrition programs (State of Franklin Health Council).
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $487,924. Grant amounts ranged from $6,174 to $100,000, with a median of $7,500.
The largest reported grants included $100,000 to Swain Co Public Schools, $96,000 to Jackson Co Public Schools, and $90,000 to Graham Co Public School, each for Community Health Programs. Other notable grants included $35,000 to Mountain Hope Nursing Alliance, $21,450 to Jackson Co Dept of Public Health, and $15,000 to Blue Ridge Health. The foundation also gave $7,500 each to Child Medical Collaborative Inc, Full Spectrum Farms Inc, SwainQualla SAFE Inc, State of Franklin Health Council, HIGHTS Inc, and VECINOS INC.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Heather Baker as President; Ericka Zimmerman as Vice President; Scott Connor as Treasurer; Jacob Buchanan as Secretary; Shelley Carraway as Executive Director; and Gerald McKinney, Larry Selby MD, Ron Laroque, Julie Richards, and Thom Brooks as directors.
Great Smokies Health Foundation is led by Shelley Carraway, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Shelley Carraway
Executive Director
Director → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$71K (2024) → $78K (2025)
Heather Baker
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gerald McKinney
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Selby MD
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ron Laroque
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Richards
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thom Brooks
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian McMahan
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carmen Nations
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alicia Parham
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Hindman
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Connor
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ericka Zimmerman
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Buchanan
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Doug Keskula (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: MaryAnn Lochner (2021–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Brian Huskey (2022–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Chris Munton (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Nick Jernigan (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Douglas Keskula (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Michele Garashi-Ellick (2019–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Jan Wilson (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Mitchell Fischer (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Stephen Heatherly (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Clifford Faull MD (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Johns (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Cornblum (2019–2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $78K, to Shelley Carraway (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Great Smokies Health Foundation
How much does Great Smokies Health Foundation give each year?
Great Smokies Health Foundation gave $488K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $437K across 16 grants.
What is Great Smokies Health Foundation's typical grant size?
Great Smokies Health Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $21,214, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Great Smokies Health Foundation give grants?
Great Smokies Health Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sylva, NC (9 grants), Bryson City, NC (5 grants), Franklin, NC (3 grants) and Cullowhee, NC (3 grants).
Does Great Smokies Health Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Great Smokies Health Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Health Programs" (22 grants).
Who are Great Smokies Health Foundation's largest grantees?
Great Smokies Health Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Swain Co Public Schools ($100,000), Jackson Co Public Schools ($96,000) and Graham Co Public School ($90,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Great Smokies Health Foundation?
Great Smokies Health Foundation reported $11.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $777K.
What does Great Smokies Health Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to improve healthcare in Jackson, Swain, Graham, and Macon counties in North Carolina. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Great Smokies Health Foundation?
Great Smokies Health Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Great Smokies Health Foundation's EIN?
Great Smokies Health Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1967734. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 13, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 21, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 30, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Great Smokies Health Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Great Smokies Health Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/great-smokies-health-foundation-morg_d07d88a312b645e99851cac44397575e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_561967734_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Great Smokies Health Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/great-smokies-health-foundation-morg_d07d88a312b645e99851cac44397575e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Great Smokies Health Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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