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Community Foundation of Burke County
The Community Foundation of Burke County was established in 2002 as a vehicle for local philanthropy in Morganton and the surrounding foothills — an area...
Community Foundation of Burke County
The Community Foundation of Burke County was established in 2002 as a vehicle for local philanthropy in Morganton and the surrounding foothills — an area shaped historically by furniture manufacturing, textiles, and more recently by healthcare and education. Founder and current President & CEO Barbara Wetsig-Lynam succeeded Nancy Taylor, who led the foundation from 2013 to 2023. The foundation builds its asset base through donor-advised funds, designated endowments, field-of-interest funds, and scholarship vehicles, then deploys grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations across Burke County. CFBC's investment portfolio spans US equities, US fixed income, non-US equities, and a dedicated allocation to alternative investments, managed under the oversight of an investment committee chaired by Vice Chair Jordan N. Greene. On the grantmaking side, signature programs include the Burke Women's Fund — a giving circle funding initiatives that improve the lives of local women and families — and Burke Youth Organized Philanthropists (BYOP), a youth-led grantmaking board. The foundation also houses the J. Alex and Vivian G. Mull Foundation Charitable Fund, a family-advised philanthropic vehicle. Geographically, CFBC concentrates spending on Burke County organizations, particularly in education, human services, and community health. Board Chair Chris T. Brittain leads a volunteer governance structure typical of US community foundations. CFBC holds accreditation under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations and retains membership in the Council on Foundations. Beyond its grantmaking, the foundation holds commercial real estate through Burke Charitable Properties, a mixed-use asset at 305-C West Union Street in Morganton. The foundation has activated as a disaster-response coordinator when local crises strike, partnering with the Rotary Club of Morganton to stand up relief funds. The most recent publicly noted operational shift occurred in 2023–2024, when JJ Musgrove's brief presidency gave way to Wetsig-Lynam's current stewardship, returning the foundation to founding-era leadership. CFBC's permanent-endowment model differentiates it from episodic local fundraisers. The foundation holds assets that compound over time, generating a grantmaking stream insulated from any single family's fortune or annual fundraising cycle. That architecture — pooling many modest gifts into one durable charitable capital base — is the defining structural feature of US community foundations. In Burke County, where manufacturing employment has declined, that permanence means local nonprofits access philanthropic capital that does not evaporate when a plant closes or a corporate donor relocates.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2002
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Morganton
Corporate office
Morganton, NC, United States
Principals
Barbara Wetsig-Lynam
President & CEO
Chris T. Brittain
Board Chair
Jordan N. Greene
Vice Chair and Investment Committee Chair
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does the Community Foundation of Burke County differ from a private foundation?
CFBC is a public charity that pools assets from many donors rather than a single family or corporation. It qualifies as a publicly supported organization under IRS code, which gives donors higher AGI deduction limits than private foundations. The foundation manages donor-advised funds, designated endowments, scholarship funds, and field-of-interest funds, all governed by a local volunteer board.
Who manages the foundation's investment portfolio?
The investment committee is chaired by Vice Chair Jordan N. Greene, who oversees allocations across US equities, US fixed income, non-US equities, and alternative investments. CFBC has not publicly disclosed its external investment consultant or OCIO provider. The committee reports to the full board chaired by Chris T. Brittain.
What types of organizations does CFBC fund?
Grantmaking targets 501(c)(3) organizations serving Burke County, with emphasis on education, healthcare services, and community development. The Burke Women's Fund directs grants toward programs benefiting local women and families. The youth philanthropy board (BYOP) makes smaller grants with young people leading the decision process. The foundation also administers designated payouts for the J. Alex and Vivian G. Mull Foundation Charitable Fund.
Does CFBC make grants outside Burke County?
The foundation's mission is explicitly county-focused. Competitive grants and donor-advised fund distributions generally flow to organizations operating within Burke County, North Carolina. Some scholarship funds may support students attending institutions outside the county, but the geographic mandate is local by design.
How is the foundation's operating budget funded?
Like most US community foundations, CFBC funds its operations through administrative fees charged on the funds it manages — typically an annual percentage of fund assets. The foundation also owns commercial real estate through Burke Charitable Properties, which may generate additional operating revenue. Exact fee schedules and operating budget figures have not been publicly disclosed.
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