The P20 Council is excited to announce that we have been awarded a Dogwood Health Trust Grant as part of The WNC Resilience Project. P20 is a subrecipient of Dogwood’s Collaboration & Innovation Grant, funded through Dogwood’s Collaboration & Innovation Grant Program, which supports collaborative, community-led efforts responding to the challenges and opportunities arising from Hurricane Helene. This grant opportunity is designed to strengthen partnerships across Western North Carolina, build capacity, and support innovative approaches that enhance community wellbeing and regional recovery efforts following the storm.
The WNC Resilience Project brings together educators, nonprofit organizations, community and business partners, and higher education institutions to support long-term regional resilience. Rooted in Western North Carolina and shaped through grassroots convenings, the project was co-created by those most affected by the storm, including students, educators, and local leaders, ensuring that recovery efforts are grounded in real community needs.
As the grant recipient, the P20 Council will center this work on advancing credential attainment through cross-sector collaboration and youth voice. In partnership with Land of Sky Regional Council, the Council will expand the Student Ambassador Program to engage students, elevate their lived experiences, and identify barriers and opportunities along the education-to-workforce continuum. These insights will directly inform strategies to strengthen access to credentials that lead to high-quality employment.
Credential attainment remains P20’s north star. This grant investment supports the Council’s ongoing efforts to align education, workforce, and industry partners around clear, attainable pathways that help students persist, complete credentials, and transition successfully into the workforce. By empowering Student Ambassadors as partners in this work, the P20 Council will continue building a more resilient region where recovery and economic growth are driven by educational opportunity.
