Progress to date:

Since its launch earlier this year, the Mitchell County Development Foundation's Small Business Resiliency Fund has awarded grants to 53 Mitchell County Businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. To date, over half of these businesses have fully or partially reopened with many of the remaining businesses planning to complete repairs by the end of 2025.

Since January, the Mitchell County Development Foundation distributed $1,273,700.00 to local small businesses for building, fixture, and equipment repairs. The MCDF secured these funds via generous donations from individuals, churches, and businesses across the United States as well as grants received from local and national organizations.

The MCDF would like to extend very special thanks to the Samuel L. Phillips Family Foundation and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s Truist Foundation Western North Carolina Recovery and Resiliency Fund for their support.

Words from our partners and grant recipients:

“As we near the anniversary of Tropical Storm Helene, Mica Gallery wishes to thank the Mitchell County Development Foundation and our other supporters for grant funding that helped the gallery remain open throughout the year to serve artists and the community. These funds help us to know that we are an asset to Mitchell County and the surrounding area. These resources provided an infusion of cash for repairs and operations and also some much-needed moral support and encouragement."

—Robbie Bell, President, Mica Gallery  

"Thank you so much for the grant funding. It will really help. I hope others who lost so much were able to get funded also. Thank you so much for letting us use the free working space in downtown Spruce Pine. It has really been a blessing to have a sense of normalcy."

—MCDF Grant Recipient

 The $1,273,700.00 distributed via 99 grants in three rounds of grantmaking:

• Round one: 29 grants totaling $191,500.00

• Round two: 39 grants (21 to new grantees and 18 to returning grantees) totaling $527,700.00

• Round three: 31 grants (3 to new grantees and 28 returning grantees) totaling $554,500.00

Despite all of our successes, there continues to be a great need for future funding. Donors wishing to support the foundation's efforts can make a contribution at the MCDF website. 100% of the funds received will be used to help business recovery in Mitchell County.

BACKGROUND ABOUT OUR WORK

“The Mitchell County Development Foundation was established in June of 2001 with the mission of establishing economic and cultural assistance in Mitchell County. Mitchell County reports from Helene damage show 10 commercial businesses were destroyed, 48 received major damage, 40 received minor damage and 10 had some measurable damage. Many jobs across our country have been delayed or lost completely. For a small rural area, this is devastating. As just one example, our unemployment rate increased from 2.9% in September 2024 to 7.5% in October 2024… and this doesn’t reflect the sole entrepreneur or family-operated business losses.

The Mitchell County Small Business Resiliency Grant Program supports existing businesses in Mitchell County that sustained building or equipment damages. Donors may make a general designation about how they wish for their donations to be used. They may select from the following fund designations:

1. Undesignated and greatest need, to be determined by the Foundation (to benefit eligible businesses in Mitchell County at-large),

2. Eligible business in Bakersville area

3. Eligible business in Spruce Pine area; or

4. Eligible business in unincorporated areas of Mitchell County (outside Bakersville or Spruce Pine municipal limits).

We are currently fundraising for our fourth round of grant making. We hope you will consider joining us by making a donation below. 100% of received funds will support post-hurricane rebuilding efforts across Mitchell County. To learn more about our grant application process click here.

OUR BOARD

FOUNDATION DOCUMENTATION + FINANCIAL DETAILS

• Address: Mitchell County Development Foundation, Inc. / PO Box 327 / Spruce Pine, NC 28777

• Telephone number: 828-467-7253

• Employer Identification Number (EIN): 56-2262436

• Principal contact: Sandy Buchanan

• Principal contact email: contact@mitchellcdf.org. 

• CPA: Sharon Gillespie of S. Gillespie, P.A., Spruce Pine, NC

• IRS Determination Letter and other documents: Can be found here and our updated bylaws can be found here. The Foundation is also listed on the IRS’s list of tax-deductible organizations here (just enter the EIN listed above).

• North Carolina Articles of Nonprofit Incorporation and other documents: Can be downloaded here