Our Work
Our Pillars
The Endowment was created to make a lasting difference in New Hanover County by supporting initiatives that improve quality of life and expand opportunity for all residents. Our work focuses on four pillars.
Cross Cutting Strategies
Cross-cutting strategies strengthen every area of our grantmaking by ensuring we consider the interconnected needs that shape long-term success. By looking across issues such as food, housing, childcare, mental health, transportation, and workforce development, we help identify barriers, expand opportunity, and increase the impact of investments across all of our strategic pillars.
STRATEGIC PLAN & Focus Areas
The Vision Forward 2026-2030
BOLD GOAL:
NHC is ranked the healthiest county in NC
FOCUS AREA:
Maternal & Infant Health
Mental Health
Preventative Care
OBJECTIVES:
- Increase access to prenatal care for all
- Reduce infant & maternal mortality rates, and eliminate disparities
- Decrease depression and mental distress among all ages
- Improve health outcomes through preventive care
BOLD GOAL:
NHC is ranked #1 in education in NC
FOCUS AREA:
Early Childhood Education
K–12 Achievement Gaps
OBJECTIVES:
- Increase kindergarten readiness
- Increase reading proficiency
- Increase teacher effectiveness and culture of high expectations
BOLD GOAL:
Every NHC neighborhood is safe & resilient
FOCUS AREA:
Youth Development
OBJECTIVES:
- Reduce youth violence and involvement in crime
- Increase employment among “opportunity youth”
- Increase HS graduation rates
- Increase sense of “community” & engagement in every NHC neighborhood
Development
BOLD GOAL: NHC has a vibrant economy and quality of life for all
FOCUS AREA:
- Innovation & Entrepreneurial Development
- Increase Recreational Opportunities for all NHC residents
OBJECTIVES:
- Increase availability of high-wage jobs
- Increase the number of businesses launched in and/or choosing to locate in NHC
- Support world-class recreational enhancements
Development
BOLD GOAL:
NHC has a vibrant economy and quality of life for all
FOCUS AREA:
Innovation & Entrepreneurial Development
Increase Recreational Opportunities for all NHC residents
OBJECTIVES:
- Increase availability of high-wage jobs
- Increase the number of businesses launched in and/or choosing to locate in NHC
- Support world-class recreational enhancements
Pre-Birth & Infancy
FOCUS:
- Maternal & Infant Health
- Mental Health
- Preventative Care
Birth – 5
FOCUS:
- Early Childhood Education
- Kindergarten Readiness
6 – 15
FOCUS:
- K-12 Achievement Gaps
- Teacher Effectiveness
- Culture of High Expectations
16 – 24
FOCUS:
- Youth Development
- Opportunity Youth
- High School Graduation
- Career Pathways
25 – Seniors
FOCUS:
- Vibrant Economy and Quality of Life
- Innovation & Entrepreneurship
- High Wage Jobs
- Economic Mobility
- Recreational Opportunities
- Community Resilience
The Path Forward
Dashboard
HOw We do our work
Conducting research and landscape assessments to deepen understanding, incorporate community insights, and inform grantmaking.
Investing in programs, initiatives, and organizations that address community needs and create meaningful impact. See a complete list of grantees here.
Bringing together community partners, residents, and funders to align efforts, share ideas, and drive collective action.
Supporting community organizations through resources, learning opportunities, technical assistance, and leadership opportunities to enhance their work.
Sharing knowledge, elevating community voices, and increasing awareness of challenges, opportunities, and solutions.
Measuring outcomes, learning from results, and continuously improving our approach to maximize community impact.
Measuring Impact
As we translate our strategic priorities into action, we have established a clear and disciplined approach to understanding how our investments make a difference in New Hanover County.
Our approach is grounded in an overarching theory of change and focuses on impact at three interconnected levels:
Grant Level: we work with our grantees to understand whether individual initiatives and programs are achieving their intended goals.
Portfolio Level: as a team, we want to look at how our pillar investments work together to advance shared outcomes. When appropriate, we look forward to working with grantees as groups in pursuit of shared goals, to support them as mission aligned partners.
Population (Community) Level: We’ll track population‑level indicators to set context for our work and help us understand, together with all of you, the real‑world conditions that guide us.
Measuring Impact at 3 Levels
