The Morrisville Community Fund was launched as a funding source for civic organizations. The group has raised $20,000 and will start taking grant applications in January. "We're excited about filling that niche," said chairwoman Jan Faulkner, a former Morrisville mayor. "People over the years have come before the council saying, 'We need additional funds.' "

Groups such as Community Emergency Response Team and firefighter axillary programs have financial needs. The town also cut about $12,000 in the past three years for popular events such as the Day at the Park festival.

Faulkner said she had the idea for a philanthropic group two years ago. She called the N.C. Community Foundation, and asked about becoming a member. The statewide group required a $10,000 minimum endowment. "I nearly choked," Faulkner said.

But with about a 20 founding members - including Progress Energy, CASTO, Islamic Center of Morrisville, Hindu Society of North Carolina, Morrisville Chamber of Commerce, Cary Dental Center, Duke Realty, Lenovo, Tri Properties, Preston Development Company and Rotary Club of Morrisville and some private residents - the fund was created and exceeded the $10,000 minimum.

"You are talking about children, families and the elderly," said Tom Lowell, a project director for CASTO, the developer of Park West Village. "... We need to invest in our community."

The Morrisville Community Fund will spend the next few months creating a board and establishing bylaws.

Mayor Jackie Holcombe is one of the group's founding members. "This is huge," she said. "Nonprofits have struggled. Their funding has dried up."

She pointed to groups such as local chapters of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America and Life Experiences, a nonprofit organization that teaches job skills to people with disabilities.

"We don't have any food pantries in Morrisville," Holcombe said. "The churches have been filling that need, but (the fund) can help."

The steering committee was made up Faulkner, Holcombe, Whitson and Councilwoman Liz Johnson and then Morrisville Chamber President Sharon Roche.

The group will collect donations and host fundraisers. The group's board will accept applications and then issue recommendations to the N.C. Community Foundation. Five percent of the donations will be awarded in grants.