North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness (NCCEH)

NCCEH promotes the left-of-center principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and receives funding from left-of-center foundations, including the North Carolina-based Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. ^{2  1}

History and Activities

The North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness is a nonprofit that seeks to end homelessness in North Carolina. NCCEH does this by attempting to contribute to a “comprehensive, equitable, statewide, data-driven homeless response system,” increasing diversity in homelessness advocacy, recruiting a diverse board to NCCEH, and advocating for legislation to end homelessness. ²

NCCEH was established in the early 2000s. As of September 2025, it had the following initiatives: advocating for policy reforms and increasing government funding for homelessness programs, training and educational programs to promote practices to respond to homelessness, conducting research on homelessness, helping caseworkers secure incomes and health care for homeless individuals, and supporting leaders who seek to “instigate systemic changes” to prevent homelessness. ¹

NCCEH is devoted to the left-of-center principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion and says it attempts to “redistribute power to staff and people with lived expertise.” NCCEH also says it attempts to have its partner agencies “embrace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in their work.” ¹

People

The executive director of the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness is Latonya Agard. Agard is a self-described “narrative and transformational DEI specialist.” She became the executive director of NCCEH in January 2024 after acting as the interim executive director starting in April 2023. She was previously a church planter and the pastor of the Transformation Fellowship Christian Church in Wake County, North Carolina; the founder and CEO of BeSpeak Solutions, a psychotherapy, pastoral counseling, and spiritual guidance provider; the dean of Hosanna Bible College; the pastor of the Bazzell Creek Missionary Baptist Church; a case manager with Catholic Charities; and the associate minister of Malaby’s Crossroads Missionary Baptist Church. ^{1  3}

The chair of the board is LaTonya McIver Penny. Penny is the chief executive of the Laughing Gull Foundation, a strategic advisor at LaTonya M Penny Consulting Group, and the founder and chief executive officer of Mary’s Grace Inc. Previously, she was the executive director of Family Abuse Services of Alamance County and the pastor of New Mount Zion Baptist Church. ^{1  4}

Financials

According to tax filings, in 2022, the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness reported $2,893,326 in revenues, $2,898,037 in expenses, and $2,221,963 in assets. Of its expenses, NCCEH spent $2,187,364 on technical assistance and training programs to end homelessness, education on homelessness policy, and promoting best practices to end homelessness. NCCEH received over 63 percent of its revenue ($1,845,050) from government grants, and over 32 percent of its revenue ($939,551) from gifts, grants, and other contributions.  ⁵

In 2022, NCCEH also reported making the following grants: $47,630 to the Community Link Travelers Aid Society, $22,289 to Diakonos, $20,253 to Family Abuse Services of Alamance County, $41,733 to the Greater Hickory Coop Christin Ministry, $231,561 to Homeward Bound of Western North Carolina, $174,740 to Housing for New Hope, $115,210 to Johnston Lee-Harnet Community Action, $20,953 to the government of Pitt County, $100,405 to Sixth Avenue Rehabilitation Thrive, $91,978 to the Housing Collaborative, $206,103 to Trillium Health Resources, $51,883 to the Wilson County Interfaith Hope Station, and $24,253 to the Reach Center. ⁵

NCCEH reports being funded by the Oak Foundation, a left-leaning environmentalist grantmaking foundation; the PNC Foundation; the SECU Foundation; the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a North Carolina-based nonprofit that supports left-of-center agendas and organizations; the Bezos Day One Fund; the Coastal Credit Union Foundation; NC Blue Cross Blue Shield; and the Dogwood Health Trust. ²

NCCEH reported receiving $250,000 from the Oak Foundation in 2023 to expand its outreach and advocacy and to support data research initiatives. ⁶