Through intentional partnerships and collaborations, Gateway Wellness Foundation works to improve and support the quality of life in WNC by promoting wellness opportunities among organizations for people they serve regionally.
Our mission is to address the social determinants of health in Burke, McDowell, Polk, and Rutherford counties, and provide funding to organizations that seek solutions to obstacles to health and wellness for the residents of these counties.
Gateway’s 2020 grant cycle opens August 1st. See below for information on funding priorities and application process.

Current Opportunities
Gateway focuses on improving the health and well-being of all residents in Burke, McDowell, Polk, and Rutherford counties.
During Gateway’s inaugural year of funding we focused on projects related to access to healthcare, early childhood development, food insecurity and housing. These continue to be priorities and we encourage applications that offer dynamic solutions in these areas. Additionally, Gateway is expanding its focus areas to include other innovative projects.
Access to Health Care
Increasing access to healthcare and behavioral health care; reducing the existing disparities in access to healthcare.
Early Childhood Development
Nurturing the emotional, social, educational, and/or physical development of children, thereby directly impacting their overall development into happy, healthy, productive adults.
Food Insecurity
Measurably decreasing food insecurity and increasing the availability of healthy food
Housing
- Addressing issues of affordable housing including increasing affordable housing stock, providing education around purchasing and maintaining a home, and removing barriers to home ownership
- Increasing provision of home repair or rehabilitation for people in need
- Increasing access to transitional housing, emergency housing or providing shelter
Special Projects
Projects may address (but are not limited to) issues around small business development, centralized coordination of case management, student internet access, capacity building, substance use disorder, and hardships that communities are experiencing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Application Process
We are accepting funding requests of up to $100,000. Please note, there will be a limited number of awards given out above $50,000. Organizations are encouraged to submit requests for smaller projects.
- Applications will be accepted online from August 1 until midnight August 31, 2020.
- Please note: All applications must be submitted via the online application form (see Apply Online button below). The online application does not allow the user to save a partially completed application and come back at a later time to complete it. The application must be completed in one sitting. We suggest you download the application worksheet (see Application Worksheet button below) and complete all questions in a separate Word document. Also gather any accompanying attachments. When you are ready to submit your application, copy and paste into the online application, and submit any attachments.
- For requests of $50,000 or more, if applicable, Gateway may request an onsite visit and may request further information about the project.
- Final funding decisions will be announced in November 2020.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for funding, the organization:
- Must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) or governmental entity
- Serve the residents of Burke, McDowell, Polk, and/or Rutherford counties
- Individuals
- Political purposes, including lobbying
- Out-of-area projects
- Grants prohibited by IRS regulations
For all questions email Angela Anderson at a.anderson@gatewaywf.org
