Guilford County Opens FY27 Grants for Local Nonprofits

Guilford County will begin accepting applications for fiscal year 2027 Community-Based Organization funding on Jan. 30, the county announced Jan. 2. The competitive program provides annual grants to organizations that meet the definition of a 501(c) nonprofit and deliver economically, culturally, or civically valuable services to county residents.

The application window runs from Friday, Jan. 30, through Friday, March 6 at 5 p.m. A link to the application and a full set of application materials will be posted on the county’s CBO webpage at GuilfordCountyNC.gov/CBOs on Jan. 30. Applicants are required to complete a standard application and training; the county will provide the application timeline, contract template, and any new changes slated for FY27 during pre-application briefings.

Two virtual information sessions on the CBO process will be offered via Microsoft Teams: Thursday, Jan. 15, at 3 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 23, at 10 a.m. A recording of one information session will be made available on the CBO webpage. To support capacity and proposal quality, Guilford County is partnering with the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium to offer grant writing workshops on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 9 a.m. Registration details for both the information sessions and the workshops will be posted on the county’s CBO webpage.

For nonprofit leaders, the schedule and training opportunities matter for operational planning. Many social, cultural, and civic services in the county depend on annual grant allocations; delays or reductions in funding can affect program staffing, client service continuity, and organizational budgeting. The county’s competitive process and use of a standard contract template aim to create a transparent and consistent framework, but the ultimate distribution of funds will be determined through the county’s budgetary and oversight processes conducted by locally elected officials, making civic oversight and nonprofit engagement important parts of accountability.

The partnership with the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium and the availability of workshops also reflect an institutional emphasis on capacity building and equitable access to funding. By offering virtual sessions and recorded materials, the county reduces barriers for organizations that lack in-person training capacity.

Organizations seeking more information can visit GuilfordCountyNC.gov/CBOs or contact Rachel Herring at hmatthews@guilfordcountync.gov or (336) 641-4231.