NC Community Colleges Foundation Launches Comprehensive Study on Statewide In-Kind Donation Hub Concept
Published: February 27, 2026
North Carolina has established itself as the #1 state for business in the country. To ensure that our state’s community colleges continue to be the powerful engine for workforce development that our economy relies on, we must proactively address challenges that can impact their mission. Maintaining access to world-class equipment for classroom training and ensuring competitive recruitment of top industry talent to teach high-demand courses are two current perceived barriers that face our state’s community colleges.
The NC Community Colleges Foundation (Foundation) is committed to proactively addressing and eliminating barriers that face our colleges so that they may continue to strengthen North Carolina’s talent pipeline. It is for this reason that the Foundation has launched a comprehensive study to explore a strategic concept that, if launched, would provide a new layer of support for these two perceived challenges. This comprehensive study will explore the concept of a Statewide In-Kind Donation Hub that will exist to collect and distribute top-of-the-line equipment and volunteer instruction in-kind donations to NC community colleges. This study is a direct response to feedback from colleges across North Carolina and is a first step that endeavors to enhance resources and support our state’s vital workforce training efforts.
To conduct this important work, the Foundation Board has contracted Creative Economic Development Consulting (Creative EDC), led by the experienced Crystal Morphis. Creative EDC’s study is designed to be thorough and foundational, with a scope of work that includes four key phases. The phases are a Needs Assessment to analyze the demand from both college and company perspectives, a Landscape Analysis to identify existing concept models nationally and within North Carolina, a Feasibility Study to explore a design customized for the state’s unique needs, and finally, if the concept proves viable, an Implementation Plan to outline how the vision could be brought to reality, possibly through a pilot or phased approach.
Crucially, the Foundation is dedicated to getting this right in the early stages by gathering broad input from a variety of stakeholders. Creative EDC is actively requesting input from college presidents, college foundation directors, deans, and directors of offices of planning and research through tailored surveys and virtual input sessions. Furthermore, industry input is being sought directly from trade associations representing Propel NC’s clusters and selected companies through surveys and virtual interviews. This outreach will extend through March 2026. This extensive engagement ensures the study will be informed by the many voices involved in equipment and technology donations and volunteer instructional support. The Foundation Board is approaching this work with a practical lens, aiming to understand what works well already, what should not be disrupted, and if a statewide approach could truly add value for all 58 colleges.
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About the North Carolina Community College System
The North Carolina Community College System (NC Community Colleges or System) is the engine for workforce development in North Carolina and the only public entity dedicated to providing affordable college access to anyone in the state. The System is governed by the NC State Board of Community Colleges with administration from the NC Community College System Office, and support from the NC Community Colleges Foundation, and is powered by the 58 community colleges and their respective foundations. Together, the System serves 600,000 students and awards more than 60,000 degrees, diplomas, and certificates annually. For more information, visit https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/
About Creative Economic Development
Creative Economic Development Consulting (Creative EDC) is an innovative firm launched in 2012 by Crystal Morphis, CEcD, with over 20 years of experience in the field. Based in Elkin, North Carolina, Creative EDC provides clients with strategic consulting services focused on transforming economic development projects through its asset-based approach. The firm’s core services include Strategic Planning, Product Development, Economic Impact Analysis, and Organizational Development. Known for its creative solutions and commitment to giving back, Creative EDC helps communities and organizations re-invent their economic landscapes and achieve measurable results. For more information, visit https://creativeedc.com/.