The Nice List 2025
04 Feb 2025
Plateau philanthropy– 2025’s nonprofit fundraising roundup
Feb-March 2025
Written By: Kat Ford
This group of collective donors, leaders, staff and volunteers contribute to the plateau’s interconnectedness in vital ways across myriad cultural, ecological and humanitarian efforts. It is likely that you have enjoyed scenic hikes, admired pristine waters and benefited from protected biodiversity or historical sites due to their mission-focused work. The staff members of your favorite businesses may utilize their afterschool programs or accessible healthcare. Your grandchildren may have attended one of their camps and you might have listened to their concerts, browsed their gallery spaces or learned from their symposiums.
Within the five-year span that this publication has released the list, these organizations navigated two historic emergencies, the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Helene. Resourcing them, ensuring their fiscal health and longevity, allowed for rapid response and empowered the community to coordinate and act with kindness and grace in times of crisis. It’s held previous titles, including The Nice List, but it could just as easily be dubbed the Herculean Effort List, the Resource List, the Protect-At-All-Costs List.
WISH LISTS
Big Brothers Big Sisters
828.399.9133 / 828.482.3272
Working to ensure every child in WNC has an enjoyable, long-term relationship with a caring adult who believes in them and sees their potential by matching mentors with children facing adversity and providing ongoing activities, training and support services for families and volunteers.
Annual Budget: Cashiers/Highlands $110,000
Wish List: Council members for Macon County; Adult mentors for middle school groups and one-on-one programming; Financial support.
Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic
828.743.3393
Delivers high-quality emergency, restorative and preventative dental care to people who cannot otherwise afford these critically needed services. Since its beginning, the Clinic has performed over 70,000 procedures and over 23,000 patient visits with a value exceeding $11 million.
Annual Budget: $800,000
Wish List: Operating funds for critical dental staff are necessary; the best gift to the Clinic is an unrestricted donation.
Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau
828.743.2775
Provides out-of-school care at its Cashiers and Highlands locations allowing all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens by providing a world-class Club experience focused on academic success, healthy lifestyles, strong character and citizenship.
Annual Budget: $1.4 M
Wish List: Donations and volunteers to help power Club programs in reading, math, science, technology and career readiness.
Cashiers Cares
828.743.7158
Raises awareness and funds, filling in the gaps for 10 local charities servicing underserved communities, ranging from childhood to end-of-life in southern Jackson County. Over $725,000 has been raised and distributed since 2008.
Annual Budget: $7,500
Wish List: Hurricane Helene impacted supply chains and nonprofits, affecting their budgets and abilities to provide necessary support. Obtaining food at reasonable costs has gotten harder and suppliers are harder to find, creating a trickle-down issue on the plateau. Donations enable continued financial assistance to these important service providers.
Cashiers Historical Society
828.743.7710
www.cashiershistoricalsociety.org
Preserves the history and heritage of the Cashiers Valley through stewardship, advocacy and education.
Annual Budget: $206,000
Wish List: Financial gifts to support our educational programs. Every year we host local school children to learn the history of their hometown. Additionally, we invite people to join our volunteer team to give house tours, maintain trails and support our educational programs for children and adults.
Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society
828.743.5752
The only nonprofit no-kill shelter on the plateau, rescuing, providing compassionate care and finding forever homes for abandoned and neglected animals. The Society reunites lost pets with families and offers low-cost spay/neuter, a pet pantry and summer camps.
Annual Budget: $693,000
Wish List: Adopting Families; Foster Parents; Financial Donations.
Circles of Cashiers-Glenville
828.553.5874
www.circlescashiersglenville.org
Inspires and equips individuals and families living paycheck to paycheck to thrive and become financially independent. We serve, mentor and offer resources to low-income citizens in Cashiers, Glenville and the surrounding plateau who are motivated to create a change in their lives, from “surviving to thriving,” by committing to Circles Training and partnering with a supportive Ally.
Annual Budget: $60,000
Wish List: People! We need people who are willing to give four to six hours of their time per month to be an intentional friend.
Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers, Inc.
828.526.1991
www.highlandscashiersclinic.org
Strives to provide quality healthcare to the underserved. Now offering urgent care/walk-in hours Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 5 PM.
Annual Budget: $765,000
Wish List: Over-the-counter medications; Personal care items such as soap, shampoo and toothpaste; Financial donations.
Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, Inc.
828.743.4931 (Larry Morris, President)
www.fishesandloavescashiers.org
Providing free food to our neighbors in need in Jackson County and the surrounding areas.
Annual Budget: $282,030
Wish List: Additional access to meat; Someone fluent in Spanish to help on distribution nights; Additional board members and a secretary.
Friends of the Albert Carlton-Cashiers
Community Library
954.253.0114
Enriches the library through advocacy, fundraising and activities. Friends provides funds enabling the library to acquire books, periodicals, equipment, digital materials and other supplies, making the library an important educator for the communities of Cashiers, Glenville and Sapphire.
Annual Budget: FY 2024-2025 - $51,600
Wish List: We wish to increase our monthly commitment to the library.
Friends of Panthertown
828.269.HIKE (4453)
Working in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to conserve Panthertown as a backcountry natural resource and to enable sustainable recreation, Friends of Panthertown staff and volunteers maintain 30 miles of public trails over 6,310 acres in this treasured backcountry recreation area within Nantahala National Forest.
Annual Budget: approximately $200,000
Wish List: Become a Friend by volunteering or donating in support of conservation, education and stewardship work in Panthertown Valley.
Highlands Biological Foundation
828.526.2221
Stimulates, promotes, and funds biological research efforts of the Highlands Biological Station, including their Highlands Field Site program through UNC-Chapel Hill's Institute for the Environment. The Foundation connects all ages to nature through year-round programming at the Highlands Nature Center and "Nature on the Go!" outreach with local organizations across the plateau.
Annual Budget: $650,000
Wish List: Funds to support the mission of the Foundation; Amazon gift cards to purchase supplies for Nature Center programs; Gas cards to cover transportation to outreach events.
Highlands-Cashiers Center for Life Enrichment (CLE)
828.526.8811
CLE provides life-enriching opportunities through educational lectures, art workshops, culinary/nature programs and unique events to residents and visitors of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.
Annual Budget: $200,000
Wish List: Porchfest Sponsors (individuals and businesses); CLE program sponsors; Event volunteers and more members to grow our CLE family!
Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival
828.526.9060
hccmfnc@gmail.com
Enhances the cultural life of western North Carolina by sponsoring performances by acclaimed musicians and promoting education, outreach and audience development programs that foster an appreciation of chamber music. The Festival's regular concert series runs July 5 - August 10, 2025.
Annual Budget: $500,000
Wish List: Concert underwriters; Outreach and special event sponsors; Feast, Salon and housing hosts; Enthusiastic concertgoers!
Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation
828.482.6510
Dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals and families in Highlands, Cashiers and the surrounding communities in western North Carolina. Since its establishment in 2019, the Health Foundation has awarded 135 grants to 82 organizations, investing over $10 million to directly address the needs in our community.
Wish List: To BEE Kind, support, raise awareness, reduce the stigma and bolster resources around mental health and wellness. Continue supporting Blue Ridge Health–Highlands Cashiers (BRH-HC), a federally qualified health center providing primary care services for patients of all ages, regardless of their ability to pay.
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
828.526.1111
www.hcltnc.org
Conserving valuable natural resources on the plateau, including our lush forests, cool waterways and scenic vistas for all generations.
Annual Budget: $576,000
Wish List: You can support HCLT by donating cash and non-cash gifts, donating your time, or telling your friends about our important mission. You might also consider conserving your own land; we can help you do this in a way that enables you to retain ownership of your land while, at the same time, conserving it forever.
Highlands Historical Society
828.787.1050
www.highlandshistory.com
Preserves and promotes the rich heritage of Highlands for present and future generations. The Historic Village is open to the public free of charge from Memorial Day weekend through October.
Annual Budget: $70,000
Wish List: HHS is currently in the middle of two major capital campaigns: the Raise the Roof campaign seeks funds to repair the roofs of the museum and Prince House; the Ran Shaffner Scholarship fund seeks funds for a scholarship to be given to a graduating Highlands School student each year.
Highlands Performing Arts Center
828.526.9047
www.HighlandsPerformingArts.com
Provides high-quality venues and performing arts for the Highlands-Cashiers community.
Annual Budget: $400,000+
Wish List: A 40’ x 40’ Marley Dance Floor; Memberships; An operating endowment for the new building. We strive to keep ticket prices low, giving helps us to make our yearly budget to pay for operating expenses.
Hudson Library of Highlands, NC, Inc.
828.526.3031
www.fontanalib.org/hudsonboard
The Hudson Library Foundation supports The Hudson Library of Highlands through fundraising, volunteer organization and facility stewardship. Focused on preserving access to information, promoting reading and encouraging critical thinking at all ages, the Foundation works to support and expand the library's role in the community.
Annual Budget: $159,345
Wish List: Call us to learn more about fundraising and volunteer opportunities!
International Friendship Center – Highlands Food Pantry
828.526.0890
www.highlandsfriendshipcenter.org
Building cross-cultural relationships that foster well-being and self-sufficiency. We strive to assist people experiencing hardship and address concerns and challenges facing the immigrants in our community by fostering understanding among all people, facilitating social and human services, and providing nutrition to the underserved through the Highlands Food Pantry.
Annual Budget: $498,273
Wish List: With MANNA Food Bank greatly diminished in Asheville, we continue to need funds to support our Food Pantry mission which is now being supplied through wholesale purchasing as opposed to Food Bank purchasing.
Literacy Council of Cashiers
828.743.0215
www.cashiersliteracycouncil.org
Supports and promotes emergent literacy and literacy throughout Cashiers, NC, from birth through adulthood.
Annual Budget: Approximately $25,000
Wish List: Funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for local students; Spanish materials and book giveaways for Blue Ridge and Summit Schools; Tutoring materials for work at the Boys & Girls Club.
Mountain Theatre Company
828.526.2695
Enriches, engages and entertains western North Carolina with quality professional theatre year-round through an 85-year legacy as the longest continually operating professional live theatre company in North Carolina.
Annual Budget: $1.2 M
Wish List: To expand our volunteer support and donor base and increase ticket sales and charitable contributions to cover production and community outreach programs. 78% of every dollar goes to produce the shows we present.
Pisgah Legal Services – Plateau Poverty Law Initiative
828.253.0406
Pursues justice by providing legal assistance and advocacy to help low-income people in western North Carolina meet their basic needs.
Annual Budget: $306,500
Wish List: Gift cards to Ingles, Wal-Mart, etc. These are helpful for the social workers to have to distribute to clients as needed. Monetary donations for our ongoing work or our Hurricane Relief Fund.
Summit Charter School
828.743.5755
A tuition-free K-12 public charter school that engages students in learning experiences that stimulate discovery, inspire excellence and nurture a positive influence in an ever-changing world. Our primary goals are to graduate students who are academically prepared, engaged in the community and strong in character.
Annual Budget: $4,535,670
Wish List: Summit receives significantly less public funding than a traditional public school and relies on private donations to fully fund the vital needs of our students, teachers and facilities.
Summit Family Association
828.743.5755
www.summitschool.org/parent-resources
Enhances and supports the educational experience at Summit Charter School; fosters relationships with Summit families through communication and inclusion; improves the environment at Summit Charter School through volunteer and financial support; coordinates and hosts family-oriented events.
Annual Budget: $15,000
Wish List: Gift Cards for teachers for classroom supplies. Our annual fall festival was cancelled due to Hurricane Helene; we welcome any and all donations!
The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts
828.526.4949
Creating visual art experiences that inspire and empower individuals and communities through seeing, thinking and doing.
Annual Budget: $2.3 M
Wish List: That each visit inspires a deeper connection to the arts, empowering all to discover their unique creative voice and share in the transformative power of the arts. Your support is essential to keeping the visual arts a vibrant and vital presence on the plateau.
The Counseling Center
864.481.0598
Now with locations in Highlands and Cashiers, The Counseling Center has provided behavioral and mental health support through individual, marriage and family counseling since 2012. It strives to strengthen families and individuals in the community by providing quality access to mental health services for children, teens and adults. Services are provided on a sliding scale.
Annual Budget: $200,000
Wish List: Financial contributions to help supplement payment for the counseling services provided to our clients. The average client payment is $25.00 per session, so financial contributions are critical for us to continue to fulfill our mission of providing quality behavioral health services regardless of ability to pay.
The Literacy & Learning Center
828.526.0863
www.theliteracyandlearningcenter.org
Enriching lives and expanding the knowledge of children, adults and families through diverse educational programs.
Annual Budget: $712,000
Wish List: As the sponsor for the Macon County chapter of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, we provide books for more than 1,000 children from birth to their first birthday. The books are age-appropriate, are sent monthly to the children and foster a love of reading for the earliest learners. For only $30, a child receives a monthly book for an entire year.
The Village Green - The Heart of Cashiers
828.743.3434
www.villagegreencashiersnc.com
Preserves and enhances land for our community’s civic, spiritual, academic, recreational and cultural activities relying solely on the generosity of donors and grantors to ensure that community events and programs, along with the public park and playground, remain free and open to the public for generations to come.
Annual Budget: $700,000
Wish List: Grounds Reserve Fund to ensure that our 13.2-acre park for the people, including our gardens, trails and structures can continue to be maintained for our community’s enjoyment!
