Since its formation in 1987, the NCBF Endowment has provided more than $6 million in grant funding.

The North Carolina Bar Foundation is the home of the NCBF Endowment. Since its formation in 1987, the NCBF Endowment has provided more than $6 million in grant funding to high-impact statewide programs and organizations committed to advancing the NCBF’s values of access to justice, service through the profession, civic education, professionalism and diversity, equity and inclusion. These grants are funded from the interest earned from the NCBF Endowment, valued at $14.8 million (as of June 2022).

The NCBF Endowment exists thanks to the generous philanthropic support of NCBA members and friends.

Because grant awards are distributed based on the Endowment’s interest earned, the corpus of the NCBF Endowment continues to grow through prudent investments with the oversight of the NCBA Investment Committee.

Why is this important?

The NCBF Endowment will award annual grants in perpetuity to organizations committed to serving the people of North Carolina as only the legal profession can. This should be a point of pride for the legal profession.

How are grants awarded?

The NCBF Endowment Committee, comprised of NCBA members and chaired by Edward Griggs of Winston-Salem, oversees a competitive grant application process. After extensive review of the grant applications, the NCBF Endowment Committee makes recommendations for grant awards for approval by the NCBF Board of Directors.

“Participating in the grant review and recommendation process as a member of the Endowment Committee has been one of the most rewarding engagements in which I have been involved,” shared Edward Griggs, NCBF Board of Directors member and Chair of the NCBF Endowment Committee. “The Endowment Committee takes very seriously its job of reviewing and evaluating grant applications, giving careful attention to assessing which programs will steward the Foundation’s resources most effectively. It is a joy to see the purposeful work that so many organizations are pursuing, as well as an honor to be entrusted with the resources that donors to the North Carolina Bar Foundation have generously provided.”

How can we meet more of the need?

The NCBF Endowment is bolstered through the creation of named endowment funds and deferred gift commitments, frequently referred to as planned gifts. These gift commitments are a wonderful way for NCBA members to members secure their legacies, demonstrate their commitment to addressing statewide legal needs and honor their colleagues.

“The need for legal services has skyrocketed for regular, hardworking friends and neighbors across North Carolina. As legal professionals, we must assure the Foundation has the resources to continue answering the call for legal services,” stated Woody Connette, NCBF Board of Directors member and chair of the NCBF Development Committee. Creating a named NCBF Endowment fund is a thoughtful way to pay it forward while creating a namesake legacy commitment to advance access to justice, pro bono service, civic education, professionalism and diversity, equity and inclusion.”

This article is part of the 2022 Impact Report. Access the 2022 Impact Report webpage.