Philanthropic Partnerships

Government and philanthropy often work toward similar or complementary goals. By partnering strategically, the sectors can share resources (expertise, relationships, and capital) to achieve greater impact in North Carolina in ways that no one sector can accomplish on its own.

OSBM's Role

OSBM provides support to agencies and philanthropies in a variety of ways: 

  • We help state and philanthropic sectors navigate each other's complexities and strengthen communications that empower collaboration.
  • We support state and philanthropic efforts that facilitate collaborative opportunities for the two sectors to enhance the impact of their resource investments.
  • We create feedback loops that help both sectors learn what works, refine strategies, and scale initiatives that deliver meaningful, measurable improvements for North Carolinians.

Philanthropy Liaison

The Philanthropy Liaison role helps build, strengthen, and institutionalize relationships between the state government and philanthropic sectors. The Philanthropy Liaison is not a grant writer for the state; rather, the Philanthropy Liaison works with philanthropy and state government to enhance mutual understanding and connection and collaborate on projects of shared interest. 

See "Keys to Connecting State Government and Philanthropy," an article that highlights ways Philanthropy Liaison connects the state government and philanthropic sectors.  

For more information about state government and philanthropic partnerships, email Juli Kim, Philanthropy Liaison (juli.kim@osbm.nc.gov).

Resources

Tab/Accordion Items

Cross-Sector Collaboration Leverages an Intermediary Partner to Help State Reach All Communities During COVID (2024)

This resource highlights the cross-sector partnership among the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), NC Counts Coalition, and philanthropies, including the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, to launch the Healthier Together initiative in spring 2021. Healthier Together was created to help increase the COVID-19 vaccination rate among communities of color in North Carolina. NCDHHS engaged NC Counts Coalition to deploy its network of community-based organization partners with experience serving populations that have been historically marginalized and were not being served, and NC Counts received both state and philanthropic grants to coordinate the Healthier Together initiative.

This resource, based on a panel discussion from the Healthier Together Briefing and Celebration on July 24, 2024, describes the roles each partner played in Healthier Together and the successes and lessons from the collaboration. Panelists were Philanthropy Liaison Juli Kim (moderator), Angela Bryant, Assistant Secretary for Equity and Inclusion, Health Equity Portfolio, NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS; Bryant retired from NCDHHS in September 2024); Stacey Carless, Executive Director, NC Counts Coalition; and Sorien Schmidt, Director of Strategy and Learning, Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

NC Department of Health and Human Services and Philanthropy Engagement (2024)

The NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and the Philanthropy Liaison collaborated to develop documents for philanthropy related to some of NCDHHS’ key priorities:

The purpose of these documents is for NCDHHS to share information with funders about the agency’s work and key partnerships across agencies and sectors. The information can help the philanthropic community know about funding and partnership opportunities that align with the funders' priorities and work. 

Keys to Connecting State Government and Philanthropy (August 2024)

This article, published in Barrett and Greene, an online outlet for news and information about state and local government, highlights the role of the North Carolina's Philanthropy Liaison to support and facilitate connections between the state government and philanthropy sectors. 

Author: Sarah Mann Willcox, Executive Director, North Carolina Network of Grantmakers 

Opportunities for State Government and Philanthropy to Collaborate on Complex Challenges Monthly Connect (July 2024)

Numerous state government agencies lead efforts to address complex issues presenting daily challenges for many North Carolinians. Many philanthropic organizations are similarly focused on these issues in their work to enhance quality of life and well-being in the communities they support. In this Monthly Connect, representatives of state government and philanthropy shared the work their organizations are leading to tackle challenges related to complex issues, including child care and early education, affordable housing, rural communities’ access to public and private grants, and workforce development. 

  • Emily Adair, Grants Program Director, Hometown Strong, NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
  • Faith Belcher, Director of Program Administration, State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation
  • Marilyn Chism, Director of Programs, Golden LEAF Foundation
  • Samantha Cole, Child Care Business Liaison, NC Department of Commerce
  • Juli Kim (moderator), Philanthropy Liaison, NC Office of Strategic Partnerships

Click here for relevant resources and key takeaways.

Partner Spotlight: Jama Campbell, Executive Director, State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) Foundation (June 2024)

In a conversation with Philanthropy Liaison Juli Kim, Jama Campbell, executive director of the State Employees’ Credit Union (SECU) Foundation, shared insights on the SECU Foundation’s efforts to help address challenges facing North Carolina communities statewide and her perspectives on the significance of cross-sector partnerships in this work. 

Philanthropy 101 for State Government: What State Government Should Know about Charitable Foundations (May 2024)

Virtual session for state government agency staff to learn about charitable foundations and philanthropic grantmaking in North Carolina. Juli Kim, Philanthropy Liaison, facilitated the session. Sarah Mann Willcox, Executive Director of the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers (NCNG), shared fundamental information about North Carolina’s philanthropic sector, including the types of foundations working in North Carolina, their governance structures, the scope of their philanthropic investments, and the range of resources that philanthropy may offer working collaboratively with state government agencies.  

Speakers: 

  • Juli Kim (facilitator), Philanthropy Liaison, 
  • Sarah Mann Willcox, Executive Director, North Carolina Network of Grantmakers

Click here for relevant resources and key takeaways.

What Philanthropy Wants Working in Partnership with State Government (April 2024)

Learning Forum, held April 11, 2024, at the NC Museum of Art. North Carolina philanthropies discussed the philanthropy sector’s interest in working with state government, opportunities to collaborate, ways to leverage each other’s resources, and critical elements of engagement and relationship-building.

Speakers

  • Whitney Davis, Program Officer, Foundation for a Healthy High Point
  • Juli Kim (facilitator), Philanthropy Liaison
  • Adam Linker, Vice President of Programs, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust
  • Ted Lord, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Golden LEAF Foundation
  • Meka Sales, Director of Special Initiatives, The Duke Endowment

Click here for relevant resources. 

Partner Spotlight: Laura Gerald, President, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust (February 2024)

Philanthropy can be a critical partner with state government to achieve systems change. As President of the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, and former State Health Director and director of the Health and Wellness Trust, Dr. Laura Gerald has multiple perspectives on the power of state government-philanthropy partnerships.

In this interview, Dr. Gerald provides insights on the role of philanthropy in state government-philanthropy partnerships and the significance of research to philanthropy, and shares advice for state government and philanthropy on engaging with each other. 

Seeking and Pursuing Federal Grants: Developing a Competitive Proposal (February 2024)

Each year, 26 federal agencies award billions of dollars to states through hundreds of grantmaking programs. Though many of these federal dollars flow to states through block grants based on formulas and other rules, a significant amount of funding is available through competitive grant programs. How can North Carolina state agencies and their partners access more of this discretionary funding? What does it take to write a strong grant proposal? 

Grant seekers from the state government, nonprofit, and research sectors shared tips and strategies for identifying and pursuing federal grants. Speakers described the activities underlying a competitive application, including planning, partnering, and writing processes, and the components of a strong application, including budgeting, program design, and measurable performance goals. 

Speakers:

  • Joe Edney, Director, Corporate Strategy, RTI
  • Misty Herget, Chief Program Officer, NC Rural Center
  • Juli Kim (moderator), Philanthropy Liaison, NC Office of Strategic Partnerships  
  • Christy Sandy, Proposal Development Manager, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NCSU
  • Nicole Sullivan, Director, Reentry Services, Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, NC Department of Public Safety 
  • Caroline Valand, Deputy Secretary, Partnership Engagement, NC Department of Public Safety

Click here for relevant resources. 

Partnership among State Government, Philanthropy, and Research Results in Trauma-Informed Training for District Court Judges (December 2023)

Government-philanthropy and government-research partnerships are increasing in number and impact across all three sectors. How do such partnerships happen? Why do they matter? This resource shares insights from a government-philanthropy-research partnership in North Carolina that led to a new evidence-based training for district court judges on trauma-informed courtroom practices. The training will equip courts to respond to the impacts of trauma on children and families.  

Juli Kim, Philanthropy Liaison, interviewed Liz Star, President and CEO of the HopeStar Foundation; Mike Silver, Director of Training and Services for the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC); and Amelia Thorn, Assistant Director for Special Projects at the Duke School of Law’s Bolch Judicial Institute, about their partnership to develop and implement the training. 

Collectively, the partners shared:

  • How this three-way partnership started and results to date;
  • The role the state government, philanthropy, and research partners played to facilitate the work and leverage resources; and
  • Tips on initiating and engaging in cross-sector partnerships.

State Government and Philanthropy Partnerships: Learning from Three Impactful Collaborations (August 2023)

Working together, state government and philanthropy can leverage their expertise and resources (e.g., relationships and capital) to maximize impact for the people and communities they serve. Speakers representing state government-philanthropy partnerships described each partnership and how it relates to their shared interests; discussed components of the partnerships, including what each partner brings to the collaboration and how they address challenges; and highlighted evidence of successful partnership.

  • Stacey Carless, Executive Director, NC Counts Coalition 
  • Hazel Edmond, Rural Economic Development Associate, North Carolina Department of Commerce (Commerce) 
  • Debra Farrington, Deputy Secretary/Chief Health Equity Officer, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)
  • Kimberly Kandros, Manager of Development and Special Projects, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR)
  • Candice Kane, Program Officer, The Cannon Charitable Interests  
  • Juli Kim (moderator), Philanthropy Liaison
  • Ted Lord, Senior Vice President/General Counsel, Golden LEAF Foundation

Click here for relevant resources and key takeaways.

Grant Opportunities with the State of North Carolina 

North Carolina state government agencies make grants both from federal funds allocated to North Carolina and from state funds as directed by legislative appropriations. This page includes links to grantmaking programs that state agencies manage. For questions about any of the grant programs listed herein, contact the agency that oversees that program.

State Government Grantmaking Webinar (March 2022)

Speakers to discuss receipt and allocation of federal and state grant funds; requirements and restrictions attached to federal and state funding; and opportunities for philanthropy to support state grant seekers.

  • Susan Brigman, Section Chief, Specialty Programs, Federal Program Monitoring and Support Division, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)
  • Tamara Brothers, Deputy Director, North Carolina Arts Council
  • Caroline Farmer, Executive Director, Governor’s Crime Commission, North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS)
  • Joy Vermillion Heinsohn (moderator), Philanthropy Liaison
  • LaTricia Townsend, Director, Federal Program Monitoring and Support Division, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI)

Click here for relevant resources and key takeaways.

Off