John William Pope Foundation Announces 2026 Joy W. Pope Memorial Grants
RALEIGH, NC: The John William Pope Foundation announced the winners of 2026 Joy W. Pope Memorial Grants in the Arts and Human Services. The grant program is open to nonprofits statewide and offers awards for one-time projects, up to $100,000 for each program.
The 2026 Human Services award recipients Grace Clinic of Yadkin Valley, Present Age Ministries and The Shepherd’s House. The Arts award recipients include Harper School of the Performing Arts, Junior Appalachian Musicians, The Mitford Museum, Smoky Mountain Community Theatre and Wilson Arts.
The Joy Pope Memorial Grant process is extremely competitive and the John William Pope Foundation received a record number of applicants. The projects awarded will go towards capital projects to improve their facilities and continue improving their communities.
Human Services:
The Grace clinic serves low-income residents lacking medical insurance and access to non-emergency health and wellness care. They will use their grant to purchase dental equipment and supplies to add dental services to their new facility.
Present Age Ministries works to combat the sexual abuse, exploitation and trafficking of teen girls. They will use their grant to purchase case management software for support services for survivors of human trafficking.
The Shepherd’s House works to provide shelter, food and resources to those in need in the Greater Mount Airy community. They will use their grant to add a fire suppression system and security system for their new renovated service center.
Arts:
Harper School of the Performing Arts
The James C. Harper School of Performing Arts provides high-quality musical and performing arts instruction through individual and group classes. They will use their grant towards remodeling their building, including roof repair, HVAC and new flooring.
The Junior Appalachian Musicians supports youth traditional music education programs and works to bring community through the joy of participating in music. They will use their grant toward professional development for teaching artists and starting an instrument lending library.
The Mitford Museum works to advance the common good through literacy, creativity and community. They will use their grant to upfit their space for recording oral histories, creative writing and art spaces.
Smoky Mountain Community Theatre
The Smoky Mountain Community Theatre works to provide a forum for the creation and cultivation of local performing talent and production skills through hands-on experience. They will use their grant to renovate the theatre including electric, HVAC, walls, flooring, stage and seating.
The Wilson Arts Center is a hub for artistic experiences that enrich, educate and entertain the citizens of Wilson County and beyond. They will use their grant to renovate an unfinished space into a makerspace for classes and studios, a rehearsal space and a scene construction space.
The John William Pope Foundation is a private family grantmaker that supports nonprofit public policy research, education, human services, and the arts with the goal of improving the wellbeing of North Carolinians. Since 1986, the foundation has given more than $250 million to these causes. The Pope Foundation receives its support from the Pope family, the owners and operators of Variety Wholesalers, Inc. based in Henderson, NC.
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