Greenville Women Giving awards $517,495
May 22, 2022
Local women’s collective giving organization Greenville Women Giving (GWG) announced it has awarded $517,495 in grant funding to non-profit organizations in Greenville County.
To honor the occasion and celebrate GWG’s 16 years of giving, Greenville County Council officially proclaimed May 19, 2022 as Greenville Women Giving Day. The Honorable Liz Seman read the proclamation at the Grant Awards Ceremony held Thursday evening at the Hilton Greenville.
“It is so exciting to see that what began as a simple idea of collaboration, getting a handful of women together to make their charitable giving go farther, has turned into one of the United States’ largest and most successful women’s collective organizations in just 16 years,” said GWG Co-Chair Beverly Ward. “By working together, we are building a better quality of life for all residents of Greenville County.”
A total of 70 grant applications were submitted to Greenville Women Giving for consideration. To qualify, an application for a GWG grant must meet a need in at least one of GWG’s five focus areas: arts, environment, education, health, and human services. In addition, the grant request must provide services in Greenville County and range from $50,000 to $100,000. Based on a vote of all GWG members, six outstanding organizations were selected to receive grants this year.
Since its inception in 2006, GWG has awarded 140 grants to 87 non-profit organizations for a collective total of more than $7.6 million.
The 2022 grantees are:
- Conestee Foundation: Lake Conestee Nature Preserve: $100,000 over two years to create a Nature Playscape, a unique interactive natural outdoor environment for children to explore and enjoy.
- Greenville Literacy Association: $76,000 over two years for a full-time Training and Career Counselor to support under-skilled adults.
- Mental Health America of Greenville County: $76,495 to provide software licenses and laptop computers for remote suicide Lifeline volunteers and employees.
- Phillis Wheatley Association: $65,000 to fund basic improvements to the Dwight Woods Repertory Theater at the Phillis Wheatley Center.
- Rebuild Upstate: $100,000 over two years to preserve and improve low income, owner-occupied homes in Greenville County.
- Thrive Upstate: $100,000 to fund two ADA vans to drive people to jobs, activities, and opportunities.
Grants are funded by the contributions of Greenville Women Giving members.
About Greenville Women Giving
Greenville Women Giving is a philanthropic women’s collective giving organization created as a special initiative of the Community Foundation in 2006. Since its founding, GWG has awarded 140 grants totaling over $7.6 million and has more than 500 members. Membership in Greenville Women Giving is open to all women who commit to the annual contribution. For information about membership, upcoming events, and grants, please visit greenvillewomengiving.org or follow GWG on Facebook (@GreenvilleWomen).
