The NC License to Give Trust Fund Commission awarded grant-in-aid to two North Carolina nonprofits in support of organ donation education and advance care planning. The recipients are Donate Life North Carolina and the Health Innovations Group.

"These grants will educate and encourage more North Carolinians statewide to register as organ donors through the NC Division of Motor Vehicles or online at DonateLifeNC.org, and complete Advance Care Planning through mechanisms to ‘fast track’ important recommendations regarding electronic transmission of documents, particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Commission Chairman Dr. David Leeser. "The ultimate goal of these organizations’ efforts are to save the lives of more North Carolinians who are waiting for an organ, eye or tissue transplant and educate North Carolinians about the importance of having advance directives." 

Donate Life North Carolina was awarded a project grant for $275,000. The objective of the project entitled “Erase the Wait NC” is to ensure every North Carolinian has the information and resources needed to make an informed decision about organ, eye and tissue donation, which includes donations from both living and deceased individuals. Donate Life NC will work closely with statewide partners and specific community resources to increase donor rates across the state while continuing to increase the number of people who “say yes” to donation by registering as donors at the NC Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or online at DonateLifeNC.org through DMV Outreach and other program projects. Donate Life NC will focus on education, awareness and advocacy, while aiming to have greater impact in communities with low donor participation. 

The Health Innovations Group was awarded a grant in the amount of $80,000 to continue efforts to enhance the ability of individuals to create and communicate their advance care plans and to promote more effective communication of those plans to the care providers. The project goal is to strengthen and expand the advance directives movement by building, complementing, and expanding existing efforts within communities across North Carolina and leveraging their significant outreach in the area of personal health decision making. The expansion of this effort will provide increased access to health information in a safe, secure and readily accessible manner. 

For more information on the License to Give Trust Fund and grant opportunities, visit the website or call 919-715-3837 for more details.

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About the License to Give Trust Fund Commission

Established in 2004, the License to Give Trust Fund Commission manages the policies and guidelines for awarding grants-in-aid to nonprofits, continuing education and awareness activities relating to organ and tissue donation and advance care planning.  

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