Community Foundation of Greenville responds to COVID-19 crisis
September 30, 2020
$400,000 in grants to be awarded to 20 local nonprofits
At a time of unprecedented health care and economic crises due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Community Foundation of Greenville’s Board of Directors has voted to distribute $400,000 to 20 local nonprofit organizations in Greenville County. These funds, originally slated to be awarded in February of 2021, will be dispersed immediately in order to address the urgent need among the most vulnerable members of the community.
$100,000 in Capacity Building Grants and $300,000 from the Margaret Linder Southern Endowment will be provided to a number of longstanding partners that provide essential services to Greenville County residents. Each grant will be unrestricted so that the organization can use it as needed during this time.
2020 Capacity Building Grant Recipients
- Center for Community Services – $5,000
- Center for Developmental Services – $7,500
- CommunityWorks – $7,500
- Foothills Family Resources – $5,000
- Greenville Free Medical Clinic – $7,500
- Greenville Homeless Alliance – $7,500
- Greenville Housing Fund – $7,500
- Greer Relief & Resources Agency – $5,000
- Hispanic Alliance – $7,500
- Meals on Wheels of Greenville Inc. – $7,500
- Mental Health America of Greenville County – $5,000
- Project Host Inc. – $7,500
- Taylors Free Medical Clinic Inc. – $5,000
- Triune Mercy Center – $7,500
- United Ministries – $7,500
2020 Margaret Linder Southern Endowment Recipients
- A Child’s Haven – $50,000
- Meyer Center for Special Children – $50,000
- Project Hope Foundation – $25,000
- Greenville Humane Society – $150,000
- The Children’s Museum of the Upstate – $25,000
These grants, in addition to $430,000 previously contributed by the Community Foundation of Greenville in response to the pandemic, are to assist nonprofit organizations working in areas identified as having a high number of affected individuals by providing food, emergency shelter and small business capital.
“We have been able to respond quickly to the pandemic thanks to our current donors and the families who have entrusted us with endowments,” said Community Foundation of Greenville President Bob Morris. “We are proud to put these funds to good use and know they will make a difference in the lives of those most affected by this crisis. We thank these organizations for their service, and we look forward to continuing to work together to recover as a community and pursue an equitable future for all.”
“For the last 64 years, the Community Foundation of Greenville has been committed to connecting resources to the evolving needs of our community,” said Board Chair Lesa Kastler. “Our vision is to make all of Greenville County a thriving community where everyone can reach their full potential. While we don’t know what we will face in the coming days and months, we know these funds will provide support to our community’s most vulnerable. And, our responsiveness will continue.”
Since 2014, the Community Foundation of Greenville has awarded more than $800,000 to local nonprofits through Capacity Building Grants. Funds are made possible by income generated by the Foundation’s unrestricted endowment and donor contributions.
The Margaret Linder Southern Endowment Fund was established in 2013 with an $8.4 million bequest from Margaret Southern. This fund makes perpetual annual distributions to benefit early childhood education, special education for children and youth, and the Greenville Humane Society.
For more information on these funds, or ways you can make an impact on your own, please visit http://cfgreenville.org/.
About the Community Foundation of Greenville
The Community Foundation of Greenville is a public charity established in 1956 by visionary donors who sought to create a way to give back to their community and improve the quality of life for the citizens of Greenville County. By connecting the passions of donors with the organizations that serve to make a difference, the Foundation exists as a bridge between philanthropy and purpose. For more than 60 years, many people, from all walks of life, have contributed to the Foundation’s vision to make Greenville County a thriving community where everyone can reach their full potential. Today, the Community Foundation of Greenville with its donors contributes more than $10 million annually, providing critical financial resources to charitable organizations while also assisting individuals, businesses and charitable organizations in making their giving simpler and more powerful. For more information, visit www.cfgreenville.org.
