32 Nonprofits Awarded $385,000 in Grants Through William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust
The Greater Cabarrus Foundation, through a new local grantmaking partnership, is proud to announce that the William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust, a private family trust, has awarded a total of $385,000 in grants to 32 nonprofit organizations serving Cabarrus County.
Originally established as a $300,000 pilot grant cycle, the program expanded beyond its initial funding allocation in response to the overwhelming level of community need and the strength of the applications submitted. The grant funding was provided through the William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust as part of its continued commitment to supporting nonprofit organizations and strengthening communities across the region, while the Greater Cabarrus Foundation facilitated the administration and evaluation process for the local grant cycle.
In total, the grant cycle received 60 applications representing more than $2.25 million in funding requests from nonprofit organizations across Cabarrus County.
The partnership between the Greater Cabarrus Foundation and the William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust was created to strengthen local grantmaking efforts by combining the Trust’s longstanding philanthropic legacy with GCF’s operational infrastructure and community-focused expertise. Through the collaboration, GCF facilitated the administration and evaluation process for a portion of the Trust’s annual charitable distributions dedicated specifically to Cabarrus County nonprofit organizations.
“This grant cycle demonstrated both the tremendous needs that exist across our community and the extraordinary work local nonprofit organizations are doing every day to meet those challenges,” said Cam Cruickshank, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Greater Cabarrus Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful to the William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust for their generosity and partnership, as well as their willingness to expand support beyond the original funding amount in order to invest more deeply in Cabarrus County.”
The launch of this partnership also marked the debut of the Greater Cabarrus Foundation’s online grant management system, designed to simplify and streamline the application experience for local nonprofit agencies.
Grant applications were evaluated using a structured scoring rubric focused on organizational effectiveness, community impact, financial stewardship, and alignment with community needs.
Margaret West, daughter of William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon, and committee member of the family trust, said the partnership introduced valuable new approaches to the grantmaking process.
“One of the things that impressed me most was the thoughtful rubric-based evaluation process the Greater Cabarrus Foundation implemented,” said West. “It created a consistent and intentional way to review applications while helping us better understand organizational strengths and community impact. I was also encouraged by the number of nonprofit organizations identified through this process with whom we had not previously been familiar. It expanded our awareness of the incredible work happening throughout Cabarrus County.”
For many years, the Cannon family has quietly supported organizations serving residents across Cabarrus County and the surrounding region, choosing to focus attention on the work of nonprofit agencies and the people they serve rather than public recognition. Their longstanding generosity reflects a deep love for Cabarrus County and admiration for the organizations working every day to assist individuals and families throughout the community.
Kathy Lista, The Open Door House
Kathy Lista, Founding Executive Director of The Open Door House and one of the grant recipients, said the funding will help expand support for vulnerable young adults in the community.
“We are extremely grateful to the WCNC Cannon Charitable Trust to be selected as a grant recipient,” said Lista. “These funds will help us establish another home to support young adults coming out of foster care.”
Lista also praised the Greater Cabarrus Foundation’s administration of the grant process.
“We very much appreciate how the Greater Cabarrus Foundation administered the grant process,” she said. “The Foundation was very clear and transparent about the process, how the applications would be evaluated with the rubric, and provided a user-friendly online application. They were very intentional about making it easy for nonprofit organizations to apply and obtain assistance if we needed it.”
Cruickshank said the response to the inaugural cycle reflects the importance of continued collaboration and investment in local nonprofit organizations.
“This partnership represents more than a single grant cycle,” he said. “It reflects a growing commitment to building stronger systems of philanthropy and support within Cabarrus County. We believe collaborative grantmaking models like this can create meaningful, long-term impact for the organizations serving our community.”
The following organizations were selected as grant recipients through the 2026 William Coltrane and Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust grant cycle:
1CAN
Academic Learning Center
Augustine Literacy Project
Autism Society of North Carolina
AYA House
Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Carolinas, Cabarrus County
Boys & Girls Club of Cabarrus County
Cabarrus Arts Council
Cabarrus County Education Foundation
Cabarrus County Young Life
Cabarrus Meals on Wheels
Cabarrus Partnership for Children
Cabarrus Victims Assistance Network (CVAN)
Central North Carolina Council, Scouting America
Concord Bible Teaching Association
Cooperative Christian Ministry
Elder Orphan Care
El Puente Hispano
Families First in Cabarrus County
First Baptist Church of Concord (First Missionary Baptist Church)
Gate Pregnancy Resource Centers
Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County
Heart Math Tutoring
Junior Charity League of Concord
Lockhart Child Development Center
Rowan-Cabarrus Young Men's Christian Association
The Community Free Clinic
The Lantern Project
The Open Door House
The Salvation Army of Cabarrus and Stanly Counties
Walking in the Harvest
WeBuild Concord
About the Greater Cabarrus Foundation
The Greater Cabarrus Foundation invests in people, programs, and organizations that strengthen the health, well-being, and long-term vitality of Cabarrus County. Through strategic grantmaking, community partnerships, and support for nonprofit capacity-building, the Foundation works to address the root causes of local challenges and create lasting impact.
For more information about the Foundation’s grantmaking programs, visit GreaterCabarrusFoundation.org.
About the William Coltrane & Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust
The William Coltrane & Norma Craft Cannon Charitable Trust is a private family trust that provides support to charitable organizations across the region, honoring the philanthropic legacy of the Cannon family. Rooted in a deep commitment to Cabarrus County and the surrounding communities, the Trust has quietly supported nonprofit organizations for many years, focusing on helping agencies provide assistance, opportunity, and hope to those in need.