New Hanover Community Endowment officials announced Tuesday that the organization will award 16 new grants worth over $20.3 million to groups in New Hanover County.

Of the $20.3 million, $2.7 million is earmarked for New Hanover County Schools "to pilot a targeted staffing initiative to close achievement gaps, support positive behavior, increase student engagement, improve graduation rates and create positive learning environments," according to a news release.

The schools' grant marks the third consecutive year that New Hanover County Schools has received a multi-year grant from the endowment. In 2023, the district was awarded $1.68 million over three years as a partner in the Healthcare Career Partnership initiative. In 2024, the district received $8.74 million over three years to advance early literacy, which included funding for early learning facilitator positions and the expansion of pre-K services.

“Partnering with New Hanover County Schools and supporting evidence-based solutions to bolster school performance is an investment in the future of every child in New Hanover County,” said David Stegall, director of education for the endowment, in the release. “This grant will provide targeted resources to close achievement gaps, boost student engagement and create positive learning environments that help all students succeed.”

Another $2.2 million is set to go to New H.O.P.E. CDC (Community Development Corp.) to purchase and renovate an 11-unit, 22-bed apartment complex for conversion to workforce housing, the release stated.

Rob Campbell, founder and CEO of New H.O.P.E. CDC, said the property is on Bonham Avenue and might otherwise be purchased by an investor who could raise the existing rents. The property is currently fully occupied, Campbell said.

"We will not make anyone move, and we will adjust their rent to make it affordable to where they're not spending over 30% of their income on renting," he said Tuesday. "We won't displace anyone, but we will make it more affordable for them to live there."

The largest grant of the group announced Tuesday, $5.1 million, is being awarded to LifeCare Memory Partners "to expand dementia care services and strengthen support for families, including resources, education and programs that enhance quality of life for individuals living with memory loss and their caregivers."

The endowment was established from the sale of the county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to Novant Health in 2021. The initial fund has grown from nearly $1.3 billion to about $1.6 billion (as of July).

With the grants announced Tuesday, the endowment’s 2025 total climbs to 158 awards and over $45.2 million, the release stated.

"Lasting change comes from integrated approaches and collaboration," said Sophie Dagenais, interim president and CEO of the endowment, in the release. "By supporting organizations and partnerships that work across multiple pillars, we are building a stronger, more resilient community where every resident has the opportunity to thrive."

Other grant recipients include:

• Cape Fear Literacy Council – $370,000: To expand free one-on-one tutoring and small-group instruction in Adult Literacy, English as a Second Language and Digital Literacy
• Child Development Center – $200,000: In support of students with disabilities and their needs, by bridging gaps between state funding and the true cost of education and therapeutic services
• Young Scientist Academy – $289,292: To expand in-school and after-school STEM programs
• YWCA of Lower Cape Fear – $564,800: To support kinship care by assisting grandparents serving as foster caregivers, enhance aquatics programs for children and under-resourced groups and expand childcare capacity through strategic capital improvements
• Community Care of Lower Cape Fear – $1.5 million: For the development of a Social Care Network with local Human Service Organizations, building on the success of the Healthy Opportunities Pilot (HOP)
• Welcome Home Angel – $1.14 million: In support of individuals with special health needs and to launch the ABLE program, incorporating the CAPABLE model to help participants safely and independently age in place
• Elderhaus – $987,350: To strengthen programs and operations for older adults through operating and capital investment that promote social engagement and well-being
• Family Promise of the Lower Cape Fear – $50,000: To support emergency sheltering and homelessness and foster care prevention
• Domestic Violence Shelter and Services – $1.4 million: To sustain and expand prevention and intervention services for survivors of intimate partner violence
• Legal Aid of North Carolina – $1.1 million: To consolidate and strengthen services by co-locating staff at the Harrelson Center and continuing the Second Chance Program to reduce recidivism and improve employment outcomes
• Carousel Child Advocacy Center – $1.9 million: To support operations and promote program sustainability in New Hanover County
• Voyage (Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence) – $560,000: To support violence prevention programs and services targeting youth, including enrichment and employment initiatives and case management
• Catholic Charities, Cape Fear Office – $248,000: To expand mobile food pantry services and provide targeted support for individuals facing transportation and accessibility barriers to food access

All grant awards are contingent upon The Endowment’s receipt of a signed grant agreement and plan of accountability from each grantee organization, the release stated.