The Spartanburg County Foundation
/OVERVIEW: This community funder supports nonprofits in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. It makes grants in the areas of education, arts, health, human services, historic preservation, and youth. There are usually two grant cycles per year.
IP TAKE: SCF has prioritized nonprofit capacity building lately. Organizations should pitch a proposal tol help their group be more sustainable and secure funds from other sources.
PROFILE: The Spartanburg County Foundation (SCF) is based in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and dates back to 1943. It seeks to improve “the lives of Spartanburg County residents by promoting philanthropy, encouraging community engagement, and responding to community needs.” Walter Scott Montgomery created the community foundation here and made the founding contribution of $10,000.
Grants for Education, Arts and Culture, Public Health and Access, and Community Development
Funding priorities include education, arts, health, human services, historic preservation, and youth. Grants are only available to groups that provide services to the residents of Spartanburg County. The foundation rarely considers multiyear grant requests, and most grants range between $5,000 and $15,000. It gives primary grantmaking consideration to projects that align with the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project, are collaborative, and enhance internal stability.
Recently, there have been two responsive grantmaking cycles per year—in spring and fall. Each cycle tends to have a specific focus. For example, one focus was capacity-building grants in the areas of fundraising/funding diversification, technology/social media, strategic planning, and organizational development. The foundation does not provide grants for fundraising events, individual schools (unless the project is district/countywide,) film projects, or annual operating support other than for start-up purposes.
Past grantees include Girls on the Run Spartanburg, Junior Achievement of the Upstate SC, Spartanburg County Historical Association, Upstate Family Resource Center, and Children’s Security Blanket. A full list of recent grants is here.
In addition to grants, SCF awards scholarships through over 200 scholarship funds for students graduating from local high schools.
Important Grant Details
In a recent year, the foundation held over $164 million in assets. Current financial data is here. Keep up with the funder and grant cycle openings on the News page.
PEOPLE:
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