Three Facts About the Foothills Community Foundation in South Carolina
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One initiative funds wildlife conservation around the area’s lakes. Photo: kaileySCollection/shutterstock
Since its inception, one particular community foundation has distributed more than $18 million in local nonprofit grants across three counties in South Carolina. This funder, the Foothills Community Foundation (FCF), has been on the grantmaking scene in Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties since 1999 and is a member of the Southeastern Council of Foundations. To help local nonprofits get to know this funder better, here are three important facts to keep in mind.
Grantmaking Is Strong and Growing
FCF is a growing community foundation that has almost $30 million in assets and over 120 unique charitable funds. It appears that many of these funds are donor-advised funds that do not share details about their grantmaking procedures.
According to the funder’s third quarter newsletter for 2020, the total amount of grant awards between July 1, 2020 and October 1, 2020 was $495,156. The total for the previous fiscal year (July 1, 2019 to June 30-2020) was $1,684,925. An accompanying letter from the foundation president makes strong reference to the COVID-19 pandemic and the magnitude of current needs, despite the unwavering generosity of local donors. FCF consistently ranks among the top 20 grantmakers in South Carolina in terms of total giving.
Various Recent Funding Initiatives
FCF houses quite a few initiatives that have been gaining traction in local communities and attracting the support of local donors. For example, FCF has supported the Lakes and Bridges Charter School to help children with dyslexia, and the Brighter Christmas Fund to help children in foster care during the holiday season.
There are also initiatives to improve parks in Anderson County, to help children improve their reading skills at summer camp and to protect fish and wildlife habitats along the Jocassee and Keowee lakes. The needs of children and the environment are consistently prioritized issue areas at FCF.
No Clear Avenue to Request Funding
However, FCF does not share details on its website about any competitive grants process that welcomes unsolicited funding requests, nor does it have an accessible online application process. The foundation’s website is geared towards donors and advisors rather than nonprofit organizations in search of funds.
Therefore, it’s best to reach out to this foundation’s staff directly to inquire about any open grant opportunities. The staff is led by R. Dean Woods, who has served as the foundation president since January 2017. There is no program-specific staff at FCF, only a donor services director and a board of directors.
Check out IP’s full profile of the Foothills Community Foundation in our Southeast funding guide to learn more about this funder’s interests and how to get in touch with its staff.
