Calendar of Events

Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

March – April 2024 Mar – Apr 2024
Collapse All Expand All
Post Your Event
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Mar 28 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
Community Recreation Grants
Mar 28 all-day
online

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation will open its Community Recreation Grants application on February 5, 2024. The application window will remain open until March 29, 2024. The project application and supporting guidelines will be posted on the Buncombe County Grants webpage, located at www.buncombecounty.org/grants.

Eligible projects must:

  • Belong to a nonprofit organization.
  • Improve the quality of life within our community through the promotion of recreational initiatives that emphasize health and wellness, outdoor recreation, environmental education, athletics, and/or cultural experiences.
  • Operate in Buncombe County serving primarily Buncombe residents.

Preferred applications will:

  • Foster an atmosphere of inclusivity by extending recreation opportunities to underserved or underrepresented populations such as BIPOC and rural communities.
  • Promote goals highlighted within the Buncombe County Strategic Plan.
  • Promote recreational opportunities that emphasize health and wellness, outdoor recreation, environmental education, athletics, and/or cultural experiences.

For any questions, email [email protected].
Read more
Categories: Grants Parks & Recreation
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 28 all-day
online

Farm to School Funding

Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities

We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:

  • Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
  • Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
  • Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
  • Growing edible gardens

Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.

Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. 

  • Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
  • Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
  • Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
  • Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
  • High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes

Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding

Applications are due by: March 31, 2024 and recipients will be selected by April 15, 2024.       

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Receive up to $500! The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. 

Read more
Categories: Grants
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 28 @ 6:30 am
online
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding. 

Applications due by:

  • November 30, 2023
  • January 30, 2024
  • March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Read more
Categories: Community Education Garden Grants
WomanUP Workshop: Seeking Work-Life Harmony
Mar 28 @ 8:00 am – 10:30 am
A-B Tech
WomanUP Workshop: Seeking Work-Life Harmony
Embrace the transformative power of harmonizing your professional and personal life at our WomanUP Workshop on Thursday, March 28 from 8 to 10:30 AM at A-B Tech.

Our speaker, Meredith Ellison, co-founder of Quility, as she shares insights on moving beyond the traditional concept of work-life balance towards a more integrated and fulfilling approach – work-life harmony. The traditional idea of work-life balance often imposes a rigid separation, but Meredith will guide us toward a more fluid, integrated approach. Discover how aligning your professional and personal pursuits can lead to a richer, more satisfying life.

Meredith Ellison - Quility

About Meredith: Meredith Ellison, a key figure in the founding of Symmetry Financial Group and Quility, now leads in organizational well-being. Quility, an innovator in the insurance industry, empowers agents with cutting-edge tools and digital products. Meredith’s leadership, including initiatives like Ripple Model™, supports the success and personal development of both agents and employees.

Join us for a morning of insight, connection, and empowerment! 
Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking
Seminar Series: AI Revolution: Turbocharge Your Small Business Marketing with ChatGPT!
Mar 28 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Henderson County Chamber of Commerce
Thursday, March 28th | 10:00 Am – 12:00 PM
The Chamber | 204 Kanuga Rd, Hendersonville
Ready to propel your marketing into the future? Join Jared Bellmund as he unveils the cutting-edge power of ChatGPT in transforming small business marketing. Discover how AI is reshaping social media strategies, website content, and advertising materials with unprecedented precision and efficiency. Don’t miss this chance to stay ahead of the curve and revolutionize your approach to marketing. It’s time to embrace the AI revolution and skyrocket your business success!
Our 2024 Seminar Series are Presented by Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and First Citizens Bank.
Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking
Access to Capital
Mar 28 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
online
 Online
Facilitated by Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Small Business Center
Topic: Financing

All businesses need funding to start, grow, and sustain their operations. Whether you’re a start-up or interested in growing your business, this workshop is here to guide you through the process to secure a business loan. Learn why businesses borrow money, what lenders are looking for when reviewing your application, and the importance of having cash flow projections. We’ll also give you tips on other funding sources if you aren’t ready for a loan yet.

Speaker(s): Ron FIsher

Co-Sponsor(s): The Western Women’s Business Center

 

Fee: No Cost

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Education
City Dance
Mar 28 @ 7:30 pm
Landmark Hal

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Read more
Categories: Dance Featured Parks & Recreation
Friday, March 29, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Mar 29 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
Community Recreation Grants
Mar 29 all-day
online

Buncombe County Parks & Recreation will open its Community Recreation Grants application on February 5, 2024. The application window will remain open until March 29, 2024. The project application and supporting guidelines will be posted on the Buncombe County Grants webpage, located at www.buncombecounty.org/grants.

Eligible projects must:

  • Belong to a nonprofit organization.
  • Improve the quality of life within our community through the promotion of recreational initiatives that emphasize health and wellness, outdoor recreation, environmental education, athletics, and/or cultural experiences.
  • Operate in Buncombe County serving primarily Buncombe residents.

Preferred applications will:

  • Foster an atmosphere of inclusivity by extending recreation opportunities to underserved or underrepresented populations such as BIPOC and rural communities.
  • Promote goals highlighted within the Buncombe County Strategic Plan.
  • Promote recreational opportunities that emphasize health and wellness, outdoor recreation, environmental education, athletics, and/or cultural experiences.

For any questions, email [email protected].
Read more
Categories: Grants Parks & Recreation
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 29 all-day
online

Farm to School Funding

Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities

We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:

  • Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
  • Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
  • Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
  • Growing edible gardens

Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.

Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. 

  • Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
  • Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
  • Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
  • Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
  • High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes

Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding

Applications are due by: March 31, 2024 and recipients will be selected by April 15, 2024.       

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Receive up to $500! The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. 

Read more
Categories: Grants
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 29 @ 6:30 am
online
ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools throughout the 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding. 

Applications due by:

  • November 30, 2023
  • January 30, 2024
  • March 30, 2024

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. Learn more and apply here!

Read more
Categories: Community Education Garden Grants
Saturday, March 30, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Mar 30 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 30 all-day
online

Farm to School Funding

Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities

We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:

  • Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
  • Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
  • Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
  • Growing edible gardens

Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.

Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. 

  • Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
  • Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
  • Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
  • Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
  • High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes

Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding

Applications are due by: March 31, 2024 and recipients will be selected by April 15, 2024.       

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Receive up to $500! The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. 

Read more
Categories: Grants
Spring Town Square
Mar 30 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
One World West

Come eat, drink, and be merry at Beacon’s Spring Town Square event, where we will connect across Asheville’s many communities. Join us Saturday, March 30th from 12 to 3 pm at One World West in West Asheville. This is an opportunity for locals to learn and share about what’s happening in their communities. Attendees will have an opportunity to make announcements, requests, and offers during our Community Forum portion of the evening.

Donations are requested but not required. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community Food & Drink Tech
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Mar 31 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
Growing Minds Farm to School Mini-Grant
Mar 31 all-day
online

Farm to School Funding

Growing Minds Farm to School Funding Opportunities

We want to help fund your farm to school project in Western North Carolina! Mini-grants are available for schools to engage children in the following farm to school experiences:

  • Local food taste tests & cooking demonstrations
  • Incorporating local food into meals or snacks
  • Farm field trips or farmer visits to preschools and classrooms
  • Growing edible gardens

Funding can be used to start new projects, or to expand upon existing activities.

Pre-k through 12 schools and homeschool groups are eligible to apply. Schools must be located throughout our 23 westernmost counties of North Carolina. 

  • Smoky Mountains, NC: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain
  • Southern Mountains, NC: Henderson, Polk, Transylvania
  • Central Mountains, NC: Buncombe, Madison, Yancey
  • Foothills, NC: Burke, Caldwell, McDowell, Rutherford
  • High Country, NC: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes

Growing Minds 2023-24 Farm to School / Preschool Funding

Applications are due by: March 31, 2024 and recipients will be selected by April 15, 2024.       

ASAP’s Growing Minds mini-grants help early childhood education (ECE) centers and K-12 schools provide children positive experiences with healthy local foods through these components of farm to school: school gardens, farm field trips and farmer classroom visits, and local foods served in meals, snacks, and/or taste tests.

Mini-grant applications are available three times during the 2023-2024 school year. You may apply one time during this cycle. Receive up to $500! The amount awarded will be based on availability of funding, number of applicants, and the scope of your project. Mini-grants must be used within a year after receiving the funding.

If you have questions about your eligibility to apply for funding, please email us at [email protected] before submitting your application. We are unable to provide mini-grants to schools located outside of our 23-county service area or to folks who have received a grant from us within the past year. 

Read more
Categories: Grants
Monday, April 1, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Apr 1 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Apr 2 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant
Apr 2 all-day
online

Apply Now through June 30, 2024!

APPLY NOW

Keeping the future of agriculture bright 

Each year, AgSouth Farm Credit supports non-profit organizations and farmers markets with grants of up to $5,000 to help in their endeavors and to further the future of agriculture in our region of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Grant Mission & Objectives

The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant’s mission is to build strong partnerships and alliances, leveraging the resources within our grant program to preserve and promote the farmer, the family, and our communities. The grant has three main objectives:

  • Invest in the future of agriculture.
  • Enhance and impact the quality of life in the AgSouth territory.
  • Be recognized as a leading corporate citizen in the AgSouth territory.

Applications

The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant operates on an application-based grant system. Grants will be awarded for up to $5,000 per organization per year. To be considered for funding, organizations’ values and purpose must align with the grant program’s mission. Applications must be submitted online. You will be asked to attach a copy of your organization’s W9 to the application prior to submission. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted. Please make sure you complete all fields prior to submission.

Project Guidance
As part of the application, organizations must submit a project the grant will help fund. Examples of previously funded projects include but are not limited to:

•    Providing farmers market programming for children
•    Purchasing fans for a livestock arena to help cool the animals
•    Developing a comprehensive chick hatching program to give tools and resources to those wanting to raise backyard flocks
•    Opening a demonstration farm in conjunction with a local school district
•    Purchasing grain bin rescue equipment for fire and rescue teams
•    Funding a bee-keeping education program for vulnerable youths
•    Purchasing an irrigation system at a local Farmers Market
•    Expanding a local church garden space and adding fencing
•    Hosting an annual agricultural event
•    Purchasing a cargo trailer to transport livestock equipment
•    Building a school greenhouse

Eligibility Considerations

Grants will be considered for programs only in the 147 counties and geographic areas where AgSouth Farm Credit conducts business. Grants will only be awarded to non-profit organizations and farmers markets and will not be awarded to individuals or private farms.

Funding Cycle

Grant applications will be accepted from April 1 to June 30th, 2024. Proposals will be reviewed and grants will be awarded in Nov-Dec of 2024. Funds awarded maybe utilized by recipients during the 2025 calendar year.

Application Deadline

The 2025 Grant Application period is now open. Applications can be received from April 1 to June 30th, 2024.

Read more
Categories: Grants
FREE Chamber Challenge Trainings
Apr 2 @ 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
YMCA of Western North Carolina
with YMCA Begin Tuesday, March 19th
Join us for Chamber Challenge training designed for ALL fitness levels with YMCA Personal Trainer Suzanne Ion beginning next Tuesday, March 19th!

These free sessions will be held Tuesdays at 5:30 PM through April 23rd at the Asheville Chamber (36 Montford Avenue). The last session will be a preview run/walk of the actual Chamber Challenge 5k course beginning at the Chamber, winding through historic Montford and finishing in the parking lot once again.

These training sessions are open to anyone – whether you’ve registered to participate in the event or not! We recommend you bring your own water bottle. The doors to the Visitor Center will be open 5:00 – 5:30 PM on training days so you can come in to get water and/or use the restroom! Meet in the parking lot in front of the building.

Thank you to our Training Partner – the YMCA of Western North Carolina!

Our trainer for the second consecutive year is Suzanne Ion, a sixth generation native of Hawaii who grew up on the island of Maui and in the north Georgia mountains. Whether this is your first 5k or your 500th, you’ll be in good hands with Suzanne. No stranger to health challenges, she lost over 70 lbs. after a debilitating illness with a commitment to interval cross training and a determination to teach again. Her motto is “Someday I will not be able to do this. Today is not that day.”

She was the only girl on an all-boys soccer team, ran track in high school, and was a basketball cheerleader and member of the drill team/dance corps in high school and college.

Suzanne has Three Star Elite Instructor status for spinning and has continued her fitness education with group exercise certifications through AFFA, ACE, TRX, Silver Sneakers, Mat Pilates, and Tabata Boot Camp. An active participant in 5k’s, 10k’s, half and full marathons, she achieved a Top 20 overall women’s finish at the Lake Tahoe marathon. Whether it’s scuba diving, kayaking, sup, hiking, or glacier climbs, Suzanne is always ready for a challenge.
Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking Sports
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Apr 3 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant
Apr 3 all-day
online

Apply Now through June 30, 2024!

APPLY NOW

Keeping the future of agriculture bright 

Each year, AgSouth Farm Credit supports non-profit organizations and farmers markets with grants of up to $5,000 to help in their endeavors and to further the future of agriculture in our region of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Grant Mission & Objectives

The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant’s mission is to build strong partnerships and alliances, leveraging the resources within our grant program to preserve and promote the farmer, the family, and our communities. The grant has three main objectives:

  • Invest in the future of agriculture.
  • Enhance and impact the quality of life in the AgSouth territory.
  • Be recognized as a leading corporate citizen in the AgSouth territory.

Applications

The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant operates on an application-based grant system. Grants will be awarded for up to $5,000 per organization per year. To be considered for funding, organizations’ values and purpose must align with the grant program’s mission. Applications must be submitted online. You will be asked to attach a copy of your organization’s W9 to the application prior to submission. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted. Please make sure you complete all fields prior to submission.

Project Guidance
As part of the application, organizations must submit a project the grant will help fund. Examples of previously funded projects include but are not limited to:

•    Providing farmers market programming for children
•    Purchasing fans for a livestock arena to help cool the animals
•    Developing a comprehensive chick hatching program to give tools and resources to those wanting to raise backyard flocks
•    Opening a demonstration farm in conjunction with a local school district
•    Purchasing grain bin rescue equipment for fire and rescue teams
•    Funding a bee-keeping education program for vulnerable youths
•    Purchasing an irrigation system at a local Farmers Market
•    Expanding a local church garden space and adding fencing
•    Hosting an annual agricultural event
•    Purchasing a cargo trailer to transport livestock equipment
•    Building a school greenhouse

Eligibility Considerations

Grants will be considered for programs only in the 147 counties and geographic areas where AgSouth Farm Credit conducts business. Grants will only be awarded to non-profit organizations and farmers markets and will not be awarded to individuals or private farms.

Funding Cycle

Grant applications will be accepted from April 1 to June 30th, 2024. Proposals will be reviewed and grants will be awarded in Nov-Dec of 2024. Funds awarded maybe utilized by recipients during the 2025 calendar year.

Application Deadline

The 2025 Grant Application period is now open. Applications can be received from April 1 to June 30th, 2024.

Read more
Categories: Grants
Smart Series: Building a Broader, More Diverse Talent Pipeline
Apr 3 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Boardroom

Join us for a discussion on workforce initiatives. We’ll share from our work with community partners around reducing barriers to employment and connecting individuals to opportunities.

Registration is required so we may plan accordingly.

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We also believe these are important topics for everyone, so we are opening this event to non-members for $15. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership.

Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking
Thursday, April 4, 2024
Accepting Nominations for Clean Air Excellence Awards
Apr 4 all-day
online

The Asheville-Buncombe Air Quality Agency (AB Air Quality) is now accepting nominations for our twentieth annual air quality awards program. The goal of the Clean Air Excellence Awards is to recognize businesses and organizations that have truly gone above and beyond regulatory requirements to improve air quality for the residents of our area. Past years’ award recipients have included Dynamite Roasting Company, Eaton Corporation, and Western North Carolina Veterans Affairs Health Care System; each initiated voluntary efforts that improved air quality in the Asheville-Buncombe County Area.

Award guidelines explain the criteria for the awards and different categories of awards apply to different types of permitted facilities, organizations, and individuals that would like to nominate themselves or another entity for consideration.

To submit a nomination for a Clean Air Excellence Award, please download the application form online and include a brief summary describing what was done to improve air quality for Buncombe County.  Examples of voluntary pollution prevention measures include:  significant energy efficiency upgrades, switching to more environmentally friendly and lower-emitting solvents and cleaners, installing renewable energy systems, and upgrading fleet vehicles to more fuel-efficient or lower-emitting models. We ask that nominations be submitted to our Agency by April 12, 2024. We encourage you to submit any and all efforts your company (or another company or organization) has undertaken to reduce emissions. Agency staff are available to assist with emissions-related questions.

More information and the application form are available at abairquality.org. Please contact Ashley Featherstone at 828-250-6777 or [email protected] with questions.

Read more
Categories: Business and Networking Community
The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant
Apr 4 all-day
online

Apply Now through June 30, 2024!

APPLY NOW

Keeping the future of agriculture bright 

Each year, AgSouth Farm Credit supports non-profit organizations and farmers markets with grants of up to $5,000 to help in their endeavors and to further the future of agriculture in our region of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Grant Mission & Objectives

The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant’s mission is to build strong partnerships and alliances, leveraging the resources within our grant program to preserve and promote the farmer, the family, and our communities. The grant has three main objectives:

  • Invest in the future of agriculture.
  • Enhance and impact the quality of life in the AgSouth territory.
  • Be recognized as a leading corporate citizen in the AgSouth territory.

Applications

The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant operates on an application-based grant system. Grants will be awarded for up to $5,000 per organization per year. To be considered for funding, organizations’ values and purpose must align with the grant program’s mission. Applications must be submitted online. You will be asked to attach a copy of your organization’s W9 to the application prior to submission. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted. Please make sure you complete all fields prior to submission.

Project Guidance
As part of the application, organizations must submit a project the grant will help fund. Examples of previously funded projects include but are not limited to:

•    Providing farmers market programming for children
•    Purchasing fans for a livestock arena to help cool the animals
•    Developing a comprehensive chick hatching program to give tools and resources to those wanting to raise backyard flocks
•    Opening a demonstration farm in conjunction with a local school district
•    Purchasing grain bin rescue equipment for fire and rescue teams
•    Funding a bee-keeping education program for vulnerable youths
•    Purchasing an irrigation system at a local Farmers Market
•    Expanding a local church garden space and adding fencing
•    Hosting an annual agricultural event
•    Purchasing a cargo trailer to transport livestock equipment
•    Building a school greenhouse

Eligibility Considerations

Grants will be considered for programs only in the 147 counties and geographic areas where AgSouth Farm Credit conducts business. Grants will only be awarded to non-profit organizations and farmers markets and will not be awarded to individuals or private farms.

Funding Cycle

Grant applications will be accepted from April 1 to June 30th, 2024. Proposals will be reviewed and grants will be awarded in Nov-Dec of 2024. Funds awarded maybe utilized by recipients during the 2025 calendar year.

Application Deadline

The 2025 Grant Application period is now open. Applications can be received from April 1 to June 30th, 2024.

Read more
Categories: Grants
Reconnect for Resilience Workshop
Apr 4 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
St. Mary's Episcopal Church

The Reconnect for Resilience™ (Reconnect) curriculum teaches people about the biological effects of stress and offers a set of easy-to-use tools for staying healthy and resilient during tough times. In this 14-hour trauma-informed and resiliency-focused training, participants first learn what happens when we experience adversity and then practice tools to better manage stress, strengthen relationships, and build resilience in themselves and others.

Reconnect is designed to promote a culture of resilience in homes, schools, and organizations. It is available to all community members, as well as to helping professionals and the people they serve. Founded as a public health model, our goal is to help entire communities develop a common language around the science of stress and resilience and to provide practical tools that anyone can use to feel better and to thrive.  Please Register by visiting: bit.ly/RFRAPRIL24  or emailing [email protected] 

CEU’s are available through MAHEC

Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking
Ribbon Cutting: Safelight Resale Store
Apr 4 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Safelight Resale Store

 

Join us as we celebrate the renovation and re-opening of the Safelight Resale Store!

Safelight has been planning and under renovation of our Resale Store’s located at 133 5th Avenue West in Hendersonville, NC, these past few months, and you are invited to our grand unveiling! The Safelight Resale Store was the first of its kind opening in 1990 originally as a children’s boutique where the new courthouse now sits up the road.

Our Resale store is an integral part of Safelight’s job training program, outreach, community engagement, and agency funding support. It is essential to survivors’ recovery offering a safe paid job training experience, financial support, and a sense of belonging in our community. The store also offers a safe place for us to give our survivors vouchers to shop safely and anonymously for their families, at no cost to them. The store is a vital link to our community outreach, providing a space where our programs and services can be accessed in a safe, supportive environment. All profits from the store are used to support Safelight’s programs.

Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking
Business After Hours
Apr 4 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Twisted Laurel

Come join us for Business After Hours at Twisted Laurel Downtown!

Come out and enjoy a selection of light bites from Executive Chef Tom LaFauci! Twisted Laurel will be offering 2 drink tickets to each member attendee, good for Salt Face Mule beer, or house wines. Everything else will be available as a cash bar.

Feel free to bring a gift to be raffled off as door prizes towards the end of the evening. Bring your business cards for networking and a chance to win prizes!

 

Please take a look below at our members who have renewed for another year!

 

This event is offered as a benefit for Chamber membership. We welcome you to come and check us out! Please contact Jessica Kanupp, our Member Development Specialist, at [email protected] if you’re considering a Chamber membership.

Read more
Categories: Business & Networking Business and Networking
Standup Comedy Contest
Apr 4 @ 7:00 pm
Pulp Lounge

Slice of Life Standup Comedy Contest at The Orange Peel’s Pulp
When: Thursday April 4, 2024.
7p-9p, doors at 6:30p
Where:
The Orange Peel’s Comedy Basement, Pulp Lounge, 103 Hilliard Ave, Downtown Asheville
Tickets: $15 (available at door or The Orange Peel website https://tinyurl.com/2abjkft4)
Cocktails available while you laugh the night away to some of the area’s best Stand Up Comics in a ridiculously fun adult environment!!
Free snacks while availability lasts!
Hosted by Hilliary Begley, featuring professional comics.
Comedy open mic is 3-5m each, comics get in free with free snacks!
The show’s Headliner will be selected by audience in an anonymous ballet after comics perform their sets.
They will write down their favorite top comic of the evening who will be paid & brought back to headline the end of the show with a closing 10-15m set!
.
Contact Michele at [email protected] for details
Host Hilliary Begley-
Hilliary will make you cry with laughter. With her larger that life personality!! Voted repeatedly Asheville’s Favorite comic in the Mountain Xpress. Film debut in the Netflix original Dumplin’ as Aunt Lucy, or “Jennifer Anniston’s fat sister,” In Austin Film Festival winning movie When We Last Spoke with Cloris Leachman, now streaming on Amazon Prime. https ://youtu.be/legRwEg4j-o

Read more
Categories: Comedy Featured Food & Drink Holiday Nightlife Other Theatre