What the Arras Foundation Is Up to in South Carolina
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What was once known as the J. Marion Sims Foundation is now the Arras Foundation, a health legacy funder based in Lancaster, South Carolina. Arras is a Middle English word that means “diverse tapestry” and is a nod to the region’s textile-weaving roots. The funder has been reinventing itself over the past few years and expanding its mission to address more aspects of health than ever before.
Whether you were familiar with the old Sims Foundation or are just getting to know Arras for the first time, here’s how this health legacy funder approaches philanthropy and makes itself accessible to local grantees.
11 community indicators
Even though the Arras Foundation got its start from the sale of Elliott White Springs Memorial Hospital, it funds much more than just hospitals and medical programs. The modern version of this foundation is rooted in collaboration, community engagement and data tracking. To build a healthier community, it established 11 community indicators to guide its work. The following indicators go beyond traditional health funding and touch on many other social services in South Carolina.
Arts and civic engagement
Early childhood education
K-12 schools and education
Transitions to adulthood
Healthy economy
Transportation access
Healthy living
Green space, clean air and water
Access to healthcare
Strengthening and supporting families
Faith community
Five focus areas
The Arras Foundation’s work takes on many forms, but it has always focused on growing healthier communities for people in Fort Lawn, Great Falls and Lancaster County. Foundation giving breaks down into five focus areas, but all of the funder’s work is intersectional and often develops across more than one of these areas at the same time.
Community investment
Youth development
Open dialogue
Partnership building
Shared learning
Four current opportunities
Fortunately for local grantseekers in South Carolina, the Arras Foundation is an accessible funder with a straightforward giving approach. It awards Healthy Community Grants by partnering directly with nonprofits. Grantseekers must complete several steps before the foundation invites them to apply for a Health Community Grant, including attending a workshop and having an exploratory meeting. The funder accepts letters of intent and grant applications for this program throughout the year.
There are also Horizon Education Grants, which support innovative teaching and learning. These grants promote collaborations between educators, parents and students. Educators can apply for up to two Horizon Education Grants during the school year, and a youth review committee approves these grant applications.
The Arras Foundation also participates in a Give Local annual event and campaign that the funder first launched in 2016. Since then, the Give Local campaign has raised approximately $1.7 million for over 100 nonprofits in the region. A fourth Arras opportunity to keep in mind is the A-Team Summer Internship program, a highly competitive paid internship program for college students and recent college graduates. The internships encourage youth to work in the field of philanthropy and gain professional development experience.
The Arras Foundation is approachable and has a sizable team of staff members, consultants and board members. The funder’s staff members are available for grant-related questions via email and phone.
Learn more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Arras Foundation, which is part of our South Carolina grantmaking guide.
