Unifour Foundation Endowment Fund of the Catawba Valley Community Foundation Grant

The Unifour Foundation Endowment Fund, established in 1998, supports qualified charitable organizations in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties. With over $3 million awarded since 1991, grants typically range from $5,000 to $10,000. The fund prioritizes projects addressing early childhood education, mental health, and community needs like housing and food insecurity. Eligible organizations include 501(c)(3) charities and local government units, with applications open to those serving the designated areas.

Program overview
The Unifour Foundation Inc. was created in 1996 with the proceeds from the sale of the Hickory Merchants Association’s credit reporting company to Equifax, and the Unifour Endowment was then established with the North Carolina Community Foundation in 1998. The Unifour Endowment promotes general welfare among citizens in the four counties that comprise the Unifour area:

• Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba.

A grants committee representing former members of the Hickory Merchants Association and other community leaders reviews applications and makes selections for grant funding.
Since 1991, the Unifour Foundation has awarded more than $3 million in grants. Grants have generally ranged between $5,000 and $10,000.
2026 Grantmaking
Funds are available for qualified charitable organizations serving Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties to meet area needs including education, human services, basic needs, arts, historic preservation, health, recreation, youth development and animal welfare with a preference for applications based on the endowment’s areas of focus:
Grants that address priority areas of early childhood education, substance use disorders and mental health.Grants that address a strong community need such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, or educational needs.

Eligibility

An organization must meet the following criteria in order to apply:Organizations must be qualified as tax-exempt public charities under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be classified as a unit of local government (including public schools). An exception is made to include fire and rescue departments. If your organization operates as a 501 (c)(3) public charity via a fiscal agent, your application's supporting documentation must include a letter from the fiscal agent organization that verifies the relationship and includes when the relationship was established.Faith-based organizations may apply for funding to support social outreach and charitable service programs to benefit the community-at-large, but they may not apply for general operating support. See restrictions below.Only those organizations that serve the counties within our affiliate network will be considered. If an organization serves multiple counties within our network, that organization may complete a separate application for each of those affiliates.Organizations must offer programs and services without discrimination on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief.

Ineligibility

Grants are not awarded for:Political purposes or lobbyingActivities that are restricted to members of a particular faith community or promote a specific religious doctrineLoans or reimbursementsIndividualsRe-granting by the applicant organization