ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

“The Mitchell County Development Foundation was established in June of 2001 with the mission of establishing economic and cultural assistance in 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 to 7.5% in October… and this doesn’t reflect the sole entrepreneur or family-operated business losses.

Our focus now is to provide disaster relief assistance to affected businesses not only in Spruce Pine and Bakersville but also, critically, in other areas outside of these municipal districts where so much help is still needed. With the generous donations now received, the Foundation is able to launch the Small Business Resiliency Grant Program. Businesses are encouraged to apply by the deadline of January 3, 2025, for a quick turnaround of these initial funds.”

—Jeff Gouge, President

Mitchell County Development Foundation

OUR WORK

For more than 20 years, the Mitchell County Development Foundation has supported the people, businesses, and community organizations of Mitchell County, NC. The Foundation is a community-based organization created to gather tax deductible funds that support businesses in Mitchell County, NC. Our mission is to provide economic and cultural assistance in the Mitchell County, North Carolina region. Today, our work is 100% focused on helping our businesses rebuild after Hurricane Helene.

To that end, the foundation has organized a local business disaster relief assistance fund in the wake of Hurricane Helene. This fund is called the Mitchell County Small Business Resiliency Grant Program. This fund 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 happy to say that on January 21, 2025 we made our first round of grants, supporting 29 local businesses with a total of $191,500.00. For complete details about this first round of grants, click here. The foundation’s second round of grants opened on March 25, 2005 and will close at midnight on April 15, 2025. To apply online to be considered for a grant, please fill out the online application form here.

We are currently fundraising for our third 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.

OUR BOARD

Sandy Buchanan — Secretary, Mitchell County Development Foundation

Dr. John Boyd — President, Mayland Community College

Chad Calhoun — Superintendent, Mitchell County Schools

Allen Cook — County Manager, Mitchell County Government

Lee Ellis (Treasurer) — Regional Vice President, eBen Employee Benefits

Chris Gentry — Plant Manager, The Quartz Corporation

Jeff Gouge (President) — Owner, Gouge Oil Company

Jeff Harding — County Commissioner, Mitchell County Government

Phillip Hise — Mayor, Town of Spruce Pine

Keith Holtsclaw — Former 20 year CEO, Blue Ridge Regional Hospital

Van Phillips — Vice President, Great Meadows, Inc.

Sharon Runion Rowland — President, Bakersville Area Merchants Association

Chuck Vines (Vice President) — Mayor, Town of Bakersville

Ex Officio Member (TBD) — Town Manager, Town of Spruce Pine

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