One Buncombe Fund

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

One Buncombe is a community COVID-19 response fund in Buncombe County, North Carolina. In the early weeks of the pandemic, it became clear that the impacts of the virus would stretch beyond public health and have a potentially devastating effect on the local economy. County government took quick action to establish the infrastructure and create a fund to support the basic needs of individuals who had lost employment due to COVID-19 and to provide bridge funding to small businesses during the crisis.The community banded together and raised nearly $1.4 million, including an initial $200,000 county economic development appropriation. In addition to public donations, contributions were received from other local governments, private corporations, and philanthropic foundations. From gifts as small as $5 and as large as $100,000, there were more than 1,000 total donations to the fund. True to its name, One Buncombe embodied the spirit of community.In 2020, One Buncombe assisted more than 1,000 households with housing, utilities and emergency assistance as well as provided 95 small businesses with relief to retain nearly 700 jobs. This public-private partnership enabled just-in-time economic support to help families and businesses stay afloat until longer-term relief, such as federal grants and loans, became available.