Give & Partner
Keep the doors open and the hall standing
Carcassonne is volunteer-run and community-owned. Give as a neighbor, volunteer your time, join Friends of Carcassonne, or partner as a funder — everything you need is on this page.
- Tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law · 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Secure checkout via PayPal — you receive a receipt by email.
- EIN: Ask us — listed on your PayPal receipt
Ways to help
Whether you give $20 at the square dance door or lead a capital campaign, you are keeping a century-old schoolhouse alive for the neighbors who still need a room to gather.
Friends of Carcassonne
Join as a Friend and stay connected to dance dates, work days, and the long work of keeping this place alive.
Volunteer
Help with setup, meals, youth music, archives, or building projects. No experience required — just show up.
In-kind gifts
Supplies for community meals, building materials, instruments, or professional services all make a difference.
Partner as a funder
Foundations and program officers: see our organization snapshot, impact numbers, expansion priorities, and documents below — or start a partnership conversation directly from this page.
Ways to help
Four paths to stand with Carcassonne
Friends of Carcassonne
Join as a Friend and stay connected to dance dates, work days, and the long work of keeping this place alive.
Become a Friend →Volunteer
Help with setup, meals, youth music, archives, or building projects. No experience required — just show up.
Offer your time →In-kind gifts
Supplies for community meals, building materials, instruments, or professional services all make a difference.
Tell us what you can give →Partner as a funder
Foundations and program officers: scroll to our case for support, impact numbers, and expansion priorities.
Case for support →
Gratitude
Thank you to our partners
Carcassonne runs on volunteer hours and on the organizations and neighbors who decide this place is worth funding.
- Berea College
- Appalshop
- Letcher County Culture Hub
- Appalachian Community Fund
- Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation
- Parkway Pharmacy
- Isom IGA
- Double Kwik
- Windy Hills Coffee
- Breedings
- Malcolm J. Wilson
- SP Controls Rebuild
- Kentucky Arts Council
Organization snapshot
Carcassonne Community Center, Inc.
- Status
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- EIN
- Available on request
- Boarding school
- July 1924
- Incorporated
- 1969
- Location
- 225 Square Dance Rd, Blackey, KY 41804
- Service area
- Letcher County, Kentucky
- Primary contact
- Michael Caudill, Chairman · admin@carcassonnecommunitycenter.org
102
Years serving Letcher County
What began as a one room boarding school in 1924 grew into and was Incorporated in 1969 and operating continuously since.
A Bunch!
Years of continuous square dance
Kentucky's longest running square dance.
~1000+
Visitors welcomed each year
Come out and be apart of the fun!
~20+
Events hosted each year
Square Dances, Rentals, Community Meals, and many community rooted programming.
~1000+
Volunteer hours contributed
The center is volunteer-run and part of the public domain.
~50+
Youth reached through music programs
Pick & Bow and related programming.
Case for support
Why Carcassonne
This schoolhouse first opened as Carcassonne Boarding School in July 1924. The Carcassonne Community Center, Inc. was incorporated in 1969 to work for the general community and for the betterment of the Carcassonne area of Letcher County, Kentucky — keeping that century of gathering going under the same roof. It is community-owned, community-governed, and operated by an unpaid council of six.
In a county facing population loss, economic transition, and repeated catastrophic flooding, this building is one of the few remaining places where the whole community can physically assemble. It hosts Kentucky's longest running square dance, funeral dinners, reunions, workshops, and disaster-response gatherings — often for free, always without paid staff.
Our constraint is not demand or volunteer commitment. It is infrastructure: an aging building, limited accessibility, and no operating cushion. Targeted capital and capacity investment converts decades of volunteer equity into a facility that can serve the next century as faithfully as the last.
Expansion priorities
What we're raising for
Ranked by urgency. We are glad to scope any of these to a funder's priorities or fund a discrete phase.
01Commercial Kitchen Buildout
seekingA certified commercial kitchen so the center can serve community meals, support disaster response, and host caterers for rentals.
Scope: Commercial range and hood, three-compartment sink, walk-in refrigeration, food-safe surfaces, health department certification.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 12–18 months from funding
02ADA Restrooms & Accessibility
seekingFull accessibility so every neighbor can use the building — including elders and people with mobility needs.
Scope: ADA-compliant restrooms, entrance ramp, accessible parking spaces, interior door widths and hardware.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 9–12 months from funding
03HVAC & Building Envelope
seekingYear-round climate control and an energy-efficient envelope so the center is usable in every season and costs less to operate.
Scope: Heating and cooling system, insulation, roof and window repair, energy audit.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 6–12 months from funding
04Parking & Site Access
seekingSafe, adequate parking and site access for large events and emergency vehicles.
Scope: Grading, gravel or paving, lighting, drainage, signage.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 6 months from funding
05Stage, Sound & AV
seekingPermanent stage and sound system for the square dance, concerts, and community meetings, plus recording capability for cultural documentation.
Scope: Stage construction, PA system, stage lighting, recording and livestream equipment.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 6–9 months from funding
06Archive & Digitization
seekingPreserve and digitize photographs, recordings, and oral histories documenting more than a half century of Carcassonne life.
Scope: Scanning and audio transfer equipment, archival storage, oral history collection, public online archive.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 12–24 months from funding
07Staffing Capacity
seekingMove from all-volunteer to part-time staffed operation so programming, grant management, and rentals can grow reliably.
Scope: Part-time coordinator salary and benefits, training, administrative systems.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- Ongoing — multi-year
08Playground Replacement and Enhancements
seekingThe playground and equipment are in need of replacement and a refresh to help provide a better experience for the youth of the community.
Scope: The playground and equipment are in need of replacement and a refresh to help provide a better experience for the youth of the community.
- Committed to date
- $0
- Timeline
- 12–18 months from funding
Due diligence
Documents
- IRS 501(c)(3) Determination LetterOn request
Federal tax-exempt status confirmation.
- W-9On request
Current signed W-9 for grant disbursement.
- Board of Directors ListOn request
Current council roster with roles and terms.
- Annual Operating BudgetOn request
Most recent approved operating budget.
- Annual ReportOn request
Programs, attendance, and outcomes for the most recent year.
- Financial StatementsOn request
Most recent financial review or audit.
- Logo & Brand PackOn request
Logos and usage guidance for funder recognition.
- High-Resolution PhotographyOn request
Print-quality images for funder publications.
Anything not posted here is available on request — email admin@carcassonnecommunitycenter.org.
Start a conversation
Talk with the council
FAQs
Giving & volunteering
- Are donations tax-deductible?
- Yes. Gifts to Carcassonne Community Center, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. You receive a PayPal receipt by email.
- Where does my gift go?
- Donations support the historic schoolhouse, square dance nights, youth music, community meals, and the quiet work of keeping a gathering place open in Letcher County.
- How do I volunteer?
- Use the volunteer form on this page. Tell us when you're free and what you enjoy doing — setup, kitchen, greeting, youth music, archives, or building work days. Someone from the council usually follows up within a week.
- What is Friends of Carcassonne?
- Friends stay connected to dance dates, work days, and the long work of keeping this place alive. You can join through our Shop & give page.
For funders & partners
- Is Carcassonne Community Center a 501(c)(3)?
- Yes. Carcassonne Community Center, Inc. is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Letcher County, Kentucky. EIN is listed in the organization snapshot below and appears on PayPal receipts.
- What kinds of partnerships do you welcome?
- We work with foundations, colleges, cultural organizations, and regional funders on programming, preservation, capital improvements, and community gatherings that keep the historic schoolhouse open.
- How do I start a conversation?
- Use the partnership inquiry form on this page, or email the grants contact listed in the organization snapshot. A council member will follow up.
Volunteer
We need neighbors who show up
Tell us when you're free and what you enjoy — setup, kitchen, greeting, youth music, archives, or building work days. Someone from the council usually follows up within a week.