Spartanburg Reporter

Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on January 3.

The Spartanburg County Foundation awarded more than $450,0000 to nonprofit organizations supporting Spartanburg County residents during 2021.

"The Spartanburg County Foundation is pleased to facilitate this deep level of community impact. We are committed to using data-driven strategies to ensure that these community grants meet immediate needs while building momentum for long-term impact across Spartanburg County," said Troy M. Hanna, President & CEO of the Spartanburg County Foundation. 

Through its four 2021 grant cycles, The Spartanburg County Foundation (SCF) awarded a total of $463,754 in grants to 27 nonprofit organizations serving Spartanburg County residents with additional support provided to nonprofits through its annual "Thankful for You" event. Funding for these grants comes from the SCF Community Fund, which draws from a pool of unrestricted donations, and included a $50,000 anonymous, unrestricted gift to expand COVID-19 recovery efforts.  

Each of the four 2021 grant cycles included two specific grant opportunities and consideration for proactive grants. The first focused on nonprofit sustainability. Awards considered the impact of the pandemic and data from the COVID-19 Nonprofit Impact Report for Spartanburg County, commissioned in partnership with the Mary Black Foundation, Spartanburg Regional Foundation, and United Way of the Piedmont. 

COVID-19 relief grants totaling $218,857 supported the following:

• Angels Charge Ministry: received a $21,000 award to increase staff capacity by hiring a program manager to support its transitional housing program, case management, and advocacy to deter recidivism and facilitate a successful reentry into our community for women during and after incarceration. 
• Christmas in Action Spartanburg: received $17,079 to provide repairs for poor, disabled, elderly, and otherwise disadvantaged homeowners. This grant amount included $9,079 award made specifically from the Georgia Cleveland Memorial Fund, designated for services that provide for the comfort and care of aged citizens in Spartanburg County. 
• GoForth Recovery:  will provide outreach and education in the Spartanburg County Detention Center and support its residential recovery program with its $10,000 award.  
•  Greer Relief & Resources Agency:  received $35,000 to expand its RENEW program to promote healthy living, build partnerships, and increase volunteer efficiency. 
• Healthy Smiles of Spartanburg: provided low-income, uninsured children access to pediatric oral healthcare and will complete a strategic assessment with its $15,500 award.  
• Hope Center for Children: received $15,000 to support the Anchor House and Faucette House. Anchor House provides safe housing for teen girls in foster care. Faucette House is an emergency shelter for children removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.  
• Miracle Hill Ministries – Spartanburg Rescue Mission: received $10,000 to purchase a cargo van to pick up food donations. 
• Ruth's Gleanings: increased staffing and equipment with a $25,000 award, advancing its work to decrease nutritional poverty by increasing access to healthy, fresh food.  
• Servants for Sight: provided funding for cataract surgeries and staff support with its $10,000 grant. 
• Spartanburg County Homeless Period Project: used its $8,500 award to provide staff support and provide period packs.  
• Temple Education Ministries:  will fund staff support, kitchen equipment, and technology upgrades with its $18,778 grant. 
• Uplift and Outreach Center: will use its $8,000 award to provide mental health counseling and therapy for LGBTQ+ youth in Spartanburg County. 
• Urban League of the Upstate:  will use its $15,000 grant to reintroduced workshops and programming in Spartanburg County.  
• YMCA of Greater Spartanburg: used $10,000 to prevent summer learning loss through its day camp. 

The second focus of the SCF 2021 grantmaking strategy built upon the work begun in 2018 to better understand and respond to the county-wide journey toward racial equity. The People of Color Led Capacity Building opportunity focused on strengthening infrastructure and effectiveness for organizations building racial equity, economic mobility, and educational attainment.  

People of Color Led Capacity Building grants totaling $155,778 supported the following:  

• BattleBetty Foundation: received a $7,600 grant to train and certify a key volunteer as a licensed professional counselor to support care for women veterans working to attain self-sufficiency and upward economic mobility.  
• Benjamin E. Mays Alumni Association: used its $20,0000 capacity-building grant to conduct a fundraising feasibility study to determine support for repurposing Middle School of Pacolet into The Benjamin E. Mays Family Resource Center. 
• The Bethlehem Center: was awarded $43,000 to fund a new Director of Operations position, supporting youth, teens, and adults through services designed to build financial literacy, employment skills, economic mobility, educational attainment, and equity. 

Black Economic Mobility Coalition: received $10,000 to support board and staff training and operations.  This supports its work to build economic empowerment, education, mobility, and equity for Black residents and business community through inclusive collaboration, partnerships, and strategic advocacy.  

• Brothers Restoring Urban Hope: was awarded $20,000 to strengthen its organizational infrastructure to address the social, economic, and psychological well-being of youth in Spartanburg County.  
• Creative Advancement Centers: received a $7,245 grant for board development training and strategic planning to build its comprehensive model of youth learning designed to improve academic achievement for at-risk students through a community-school partnership.  
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) - SC Upstate:  received a $27,933 grant to provide operational support for program staff to bring its comprehensive community development model to Upstate SC. The LISC model helps residents secure living-wage jobs through employment and career services, receive financial coaching and education, and supports small business development to improve economic mobility. 
• Speaking Down Barriers: provided no-cost public training to advance racial equity with its $20,000 award.  

Proactive grants draw from specific funds within the SCF Community Fund to fulfill SCF's annual grantmaking goals. Many years ago, the Garrison family entrusted the Foundation with resources to advance medical research and study. The Alma and T. R. Garrison Fund provided $79,119 in funding to meet three specific needs.   

• Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas (VCOM): strengthened diversity and inclusion in medical training with a $29,000 grant to purchase a manikin of color.  
• HALTER (Healing and Learning Through Equine Relationships): provided equine psychotherapy with its $35,119 award.  
• March of Dimes: received $15,000 to support the Spartanburg Regional Medical Center NICU Family Support program. 

In addition to the 2021 Grant Cycles, SCF awarded an additional $10,000 in “Thankful for You” Grants as part of a Thanksgiving themed Nonprofit Connect event. Upstate Warrior Solutions was awarded $5,000. Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation and Healthy Smiles each received $2,500, bringing the total grants distributed to $463,754.

2022 Grant Opportunities

The Spartanburg County Foundation will continue its grantmaking activities in 2022 with new opportunities for nonprofit organizations serving Spartanburg County residents. Grants awarded will align with the SCF vision statement:

All Spartanburg County residents achieve their human potential through continuous improvement in quality of life, educational attainment, and economic mobility.

Continuous Improvement Grants will address quality of life, educational attainment, and economic mobility.

Nonprofit Effectiveness Grants will strengthen community-based organizations' internal capacity or infrastructure.

The Spartanburg County Foundation will release more information about these new grant cycles during the first quarter of 2022 through its website grants page and social media platforms..  

Original source can be found here.