The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced nearly $17 million in new grants to bolster Charlotte’s development at a community celebration held Sunday night at the Mint Museum. The Knight Foundation has contributed more than $100 million to the Charlotte community over the past 20 years.
“More than 100 new residents are moving to the Charlotte area every day, and our latest investments reaffirm our commitment to building a welcoming and inclusive Charlotte for all — from lifelong residents to newcomers,” said Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, CEO of Knight Foundation. “We’re proud to support and accelerate transformative projects like the Charlotte Ballet’s new dance facility, a resident-led food cooperative in the Historic West End, and the launch of Press Forward Charlotte to strengthen local news.”
These investments come on top of a $5 million grant to the Charlotte Symphony announced last spring. The new funding announced last night includes:
- LISC Charlotte ($8.75 million): Knight is investing in the launch of a cooperative grocery store, led by Historic West End Partners, and owned and managed by residents. The store will aim to provide access to fresh groceries in the Historic West End. Additionally, Knight’s funding will offer flexible capital solutions to local small business owners, and contribute to the neighborhood’s revitalization.
- Charlotte Ballet ($5 million): Charlotte Ballet has plans to create a mixed-use development in Charlotte’s North Tryon corridor expanding their facilities and providing mixed-income housing and retail.
- North Carolina News Lab Fund ($2 million): Last year, together with a coalition of other national funders and donors, Knight co-launched a half billion dollar nationwide effort to revitalize local news. This new commitment, made in partnership with local funders Wells Fargo, the C.D. Spangler Foundation, United Way of Greater Charlotte, Gambrell Foundation, the Leon Levine Foundation, and several individual donors and families, will launch Press Forward Charlotte, to strengthen local news efforts in Charlotte.
- Historic West End Partners ($1 million): To support its efforts to foster small business and commercial development.
Wadsworth announced the grants at an event that included Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, former Charlotte Mayor and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, former Mayor Harvey Gantt, and Charlotte City Councilman Malcolm Graham.
“Since our launch in 2019 to date, Knight Foundation has supported our work in the Historic West End community,” said LISC Charlotte Executive Director Ralphine Caldwell in a statement. “Through their partnership, our organization has been able to invest in and collaborate with community leaders, businesses, and residents to drive significant economic and community development. We could not be more grateful for Knight’s leadership and a shared commitment to creating more equitable and inclusive communities.”
“The power of the arts is the ability to strengthen, unify and give voice to communities. We are honored and humbled by this generous gift that will help us fulfill our mission to bring new life and energy to our home on North Tryon Street in uptown Charlotte,” said Douglas Singleton, executive director of Charlotte Ballet, in a statement.
Knight’s commitment to Charlotte stretches back to 1955, when Knight Newspapers acquired the Charlotte Observer. The Observer is now owned by a New Jersey-based private equity firm, Chatham Asset Management.