Search Results for: Thanksgiving

Event: An Evening of Thanks and Giving Location: Monarch Café – The Butterfly Foundation (498 Howard Street, Spartanburg) Session Description: Before the hustle and bustle of the holidays, take some time to connect with fellow Alumni for a time of Thanks and Giving. The Grassroots Leadership Alumni Association is partnering with the Marcus Lattimore Foundation, Northside Voyagers, and The Butterfly Foundation to provide meals to families living in the City of Spartanburg’s Northside Community who may not otherwise have a Thanksgiving dinner. Each family will receive a Thanksgiving box that includes a turkey, canned goods, and a homemade dessert! Contribute to the cause by bringing 2-3 canned goods with you. You won’t want to miss this evening of networking, food, cooking demos, giveaways, and more at Monarch Café! Additionally, there will be a sign up for those interested in helping to deliver the boxes the week of Thanksgiving!

SWITCH NAMED BENEFICIARY OF SPARTANBURG COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING SERVICE The Annual Spartanburg Community Thanksgiving Service, sponsored by The Spartanburg County Foundation in partnership with the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance, was held Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church (290 E. Main St.).  The annual event brought over 700 guests from diverse faith groups together to give thanks and give back to the community. “These are indeed troubled times in which violence and division have tried our souls,” says Rabbi Yossi Liebowitz, co-chair of the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance.  “How blessed we are in Spartanburg to have men and women of different faiths and ethnicities join together in prayer and in an effort to support a badly needed charity which distributes justice and heals the pain of so many.  As a psalmist had declared; ‘How good and pleasant it is when brothers and sisters join together.’” Each year, a committee made up of local clergy and lay leaders identify a charity to receive the offering collected at the service, which is matched by The Spartanburg County Foundation up to $5,000.  This year, SWITCH, an organization that fights human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the Upstate, was named the grant recipient and received $17,923.77.  The funds will be used to support SWITCH’s intervention program in the Spartanburg County Detention Center, providing trauma-informed care to women who are incarcerated and have a history of sexual exploitation. “Human trafficking is a hidden problem with victims in plain sight, regularly turning up unable to ask for help because they are trapped in ‘the life,’” said Zaina Greene, Executive Director for SWITCH.   “Spartanburg is seeing an increase in human trafficking crimes, and it is an honor to partner with The Spartanburg County Foundation and the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance to help us in the fight against human trafficking.” To view photos from the event CLICK HERE. ### The Spartanburg County Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of Spartanburg County residents by promoting philanthropy, encouraging community engagement and responding to community needs.  Established in 1943, The Spartanburg County Foundation is the oldest community foundation in South Carolina.  Additional information about the Foundation is available at www.spcf.org.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, The Spartanburg County Foundation convened over 50 nonprofit leaders at the second annual Thankful for You Breakfast to show gratitude to those who work tirelessly each day to address community challenges. The Foundation also surprised attendees with a drawing to award nine Just Because grants in the amount of $1,000 each for a total of $9,000, across Indicator Areas as identified by the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project.  The grant recipients are listed below in alphabetical order: Adult Learning Center Chapman Cultural Center Children’s Cancer Partners of the Carolinas City of Spartanburg Girls for STEAM SWITCH The Children’s Museum of the Upstate – Spartanburg Urban League of the Upstate – Spartanburg USC Upstate ACHIEVE Program Nonprofit Connect is an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to discuss local and national trends, share organization updates, and network to increase their knowledge and effectiveness to serve the communities of Spartanburg County and is free to all nonprofit and faith based organizations. This session is one in a series of knowledge sharing sessions that cover topics ranging from capacity building to programming and innovation. For more information on Nonprofit Connect, visit www.spcf.org.

2024 Grant Opportunities The Spartanburg County Foundation recognizes its role as a grantmaker that responds to the ongoing needs in the Spartanburg County community and is offering two grant opportunities in 2024: Continuous Improvement Grants Continuous Improvement Grants of up to $25,000 will focus on the three amplified areas in the Foundation’s vision statement by which all Spartanburg County residents can reach their human potential: quality of life, educational achievement, and economic mobility. Nonprofit Effectiveness Grants Nonprofit Effectiveness Grants of up to $10,000 are focused on strengthening the internal capacity or infrastructure of community-based organizations throughout Spartanburg County. View our 2024 Grants WebinarReview the Grants Webinar Slides2024 Continuous Improvement Request for Proposals2024 Nonprofit Effectiveness Request for Proposals Grant Application Resources Nonprofit Capacity Building Assessment [Download] PDF of 2024 Video Content - Available after 2/15/24 Grant Application Timeline Spring Cycle Due: Thursday, March 14, 2024 by 5:00pm Fall Cycle Due:  Monday, June 10, 2024 by 5:00pm Apply for a Grant The Spartanburg County Foundation Disaster Relief Fund Request for Proposals  The Spartanburg County Foundation Disaster Relief Fund will offer grants to nonprofit organizations that are providing relief, recovery, and rebuilding assistance to Spartanburg County residents affected by natural and or manmade disasters. Donations to The Spartanburg County Foundation Disaster Relief Fund are currently being accepted. Please note that individuals are not eligible to apply. Grant Guidelines The Spartanburg County Foundation considers only those organizations and institutions that are recognized as 501(c)(3) non-profit and/or tax-exempt entities or charitable organizations. The Spartanburg County Foundation Disaster Relief Fund will not provide funding for: • Projects not associated with relief, recovery or rebuilding efforts for the impacted regions of Spartanburg County • Routine operating expenses of the organization • Fundraising projects • Endowment development or capital campaigns • Sponsorships If you have any questions, please contact Evan Petty, Grantmaking Officer at epetty@spcf.org. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALSAPPLY NOW STAY INFORMEDABOUT FUTURE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES In addition to providing financial resources, the Foundation also serves as a knowledge source by connecting individuals and organizations to other resources in the community. Periodically, the Foundation is made aware of funding opportunities and distributes this information to the nonprofit community. Sign up today so that you can stay informed about future funding opportunities and the work of the Foundation. Please contact Evan Petty, Grantmaking Officer at epetty@spcf.org if you would like to be added to our nonprofit mailing list so that you are notified about future funding opportunities. Need Assistance? For grantmaking questions, contact Evan Petty, Program Officer at emcleod@spcf.org.

GRANTS The Spartanburg County Foundation supports a wide variety of projects that clearly provide innovative responses to address the goals and priorities set forth by the Spartanburg Community Indicators Project, with a particular emphasis in the areas of education and social environment. Each year, the Foundation sets an unrestricted grant budget to award funding to nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations and institutions that provide services to the residents of Spartanburg County. These funds are awarded through two competitive grant cycles and focus on Continuous Improvement Grants to improve  the quality of life, educational achievement, and economic mobility for residents and Nonprofit Effectiveness Grants to grow the capacity of nonprofit organizations in their work to provide support services to Spartanburg County residents. In addition to the Foundation's annual grant cycles, the Foundation facilitates the Community Thanksgiving Grant where a local nonprofit is selected to receive the offering from the Community Thanksgiving Service. Applications for the Thanksgiving grant will open in late summer, 2024. LEARN MORERECENT GRANTSFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSWho is eligible to receive a grant?The Foundation considers only those organizations and institutions that are recognized as 501(c)(3) nonprofit and tax exempt entities providing services to the residents of Spartanburg County. By meeting these criteria, certain institutions and organizations located outside of Spartanburg County may be eligible for funding; however, funding is restricted to benefit Spartanburg County only. Organizations that serve multiple counties must clearly show that the funds will remain in Spartanburg County. The Foundation does not provide grants to individuals or for-profit companies/organizations. What projects are most likely to receive a grant?Organizations applying for a grant must provide date to support the need and proposed activities of the grant. Organizations and proposed projects/programs should clearly align with The Spartanburg County Foundation’s vision and mission and the priorities outlined in the Request for Proposals. Can individual schools apply for grants?The Foundation does not generally award grants to individual schools unless the proposed project is district- or county-wide and is supported by the district superintendents. In order for a proposal to be considered, requests from public school systems must come directly from the superintendent’s office. Does the Foundation award multi-year grants?Except in unusual circumstances, multi-year grants are not considered. The Foundation will not normally make more than one grant within a 12-month period to the same organization. Does the Foundation make site visits?The Foundation will initiate site visits if necessary. How do I stay informed about the Foundation’s grant opportunities?All of the Foundation’s grantmaking updates are posted on the Foundation’s website. Additionally, you may sign up to be added to our nonprofit mailing list so you can stay informed about future funding opportunities and the work being done by the Foundation. Please email Evan Petty, Grantmaking Officer, at epetty@spcf.org if you would like to be added to our nonprofit mailing list. Additional Assistance For questions regarding the grant cycle, please contact Evan Petty, Grantmaking Officer, at epetty@spcf.org or (864) 582.0138. SCHOLARSHIPS Since 1943, The Spartanburg County Foundation has worked to improve the quality of life for all residents in the Spartanburg County community. Realizing early on that education was the basis for progress, the [...]

For more than 15 years, the Spartanburg Community Thanksgiving Service has provided an annual celebration for people of faith to gather together in gratitude and camaraderie. Following the 2013 service, a group of Foundation staff and clergy met to discuss how the faith community could come together more than just once a year. After researching various faith community networks, the group formed the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance in 2014. Our PURPOSE The Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance is a network of clergy, lay leaders, and faith communities that have joined together for the purpose of contributing to the common good. Formed as a partnership between area clergy and The Spartanburg County Foundation, the Alliance began hosting an annual program of events in 2016. These programs focus on different community issues and opportunities to connect and serve together. Our GOAL The central goal of the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance is to serve as a resource hub for community engagement and to create a network to leverage the faith community and its many assets to meet the needs of the greater Spartanburg County community. Your MEMBERSHIP Membership is free and open to clergy and lay leaders representing diverse faith communities in Spartanburg County. We encourage those interested in becoming a member to attend an upcoming event. To join, complete the form below, or download the Membership Form and email to Ashley Whitt at awhitt@spcf.org. JOIN US PROGRAM OF EVENTS The Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance hosts events throughout the year as an opportunity for clergy and lay leaders to stay informed about issues in the community, network with other faith leaders, and discuss opportunities to work together to improve Spartanburg County. You do not have to be a member of the Alliance to attend the events. UPCOMING EVENTSUPCOMING EVENTS LEADERSHIP The Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance is led by three co-leaders, known as the Triumvirate. Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance By-Laws THE COMPASSION FUND In 2014, the Alliance established The Kirk H. Neely Spartanburg County Compassion Fund to honor the Rev. Dr. Kirk H. Neely. His instrumental work in uniting the faith community to collectively meet the needs of worthy causes is reflected through the offerings collected each year at the Spartanburg Community Thanksgiving Service. The Alliance is currently working to build this fund and has not yet reached the point of awarding grants. Once fully funded, the Compassion Fund will award grants to faith-based and community-based organizations meeting the immediate needs of the poor in Spartanburg County. If you would like to contribute to the Compassion Fund, click Give Now and type in Compassion Fund. GIVE NOW More Information To receive regular updates, or if you have any questions, please contact Ashley Whitt.

The Spartanburg County Foundation Office will be closed Thursday, November 23, 2017, and Friday, November 24, 2017, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.  The office will reopen Monday, November 27, 2017, for regular business hours. The Board of Trustees and staff  wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

Background The Spartanburg Community Thanksgiving Service has provided an annual opportunity for people of faith to gather together in celebration and gratitude for over fifteen years. Following the 2013 Service, a group of Foundation staff and clergy met to discuss how the faith community could come together more than once a year. The group researched various faith community networks and formed the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance in 2014. The Purpose The Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance is a network of clergy, lay leaders, and faith communities joining together for the purpose of contributing to the common good. The Alliance was formed as a partnership between area clergy and The Spartanburg County Foundation. In 2016, the Alliance began hosting an annual program of events focused on different community issues and opportunities to connect and serve together. A schedule of Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance Meetings is listed below. The Goal The central goal of The Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance is to serve as a resource hub for community engagement and create a network to leverage the faith community and its many assets to meet the needs of the greater Spartanburg County community. The Compassion Fund In 2014, the Alliance established The Kirk H. Neely Spartanburg County Compassion Fund to honor the Reverend Dr. Kirk H. Neely for his instrumental work in uniting the faith community to charitably and collectively meet the needs of worthy causes through the offerings collected each year at the Spartanburg Community Thanksgiving Service. The Alliance is currently working to build this fund and has not yet reached the point of awarding grants. Once fully funded, The Compassion Fund will award grants to faith-based and community-based organizations meeting the immediate needs of the poor in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. This access to additional resources will provide the Alliance the opportunity to come together to meet needs in the Spartanburg community. If you would like to contribute to the Compassion Fund, click “Give Now” on the left side of the screen and type in “Compassion Fund.” All contributions are tax-deductible.   Are you interested in becoming a part of the Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance? Join us at any of the 2017 Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance Meetings!  Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance 2017 Schedule OR Please click here to download a partnership form and mail it to “Attention: Spartanburg Interfaith Alliance, The Spartanburg County Foundation, 424 E. Kennedy Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302.”  Please call The Spartanburg County Foundation office if you have any questions at (864) 582.0138.

2007 Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership & Community Change Mary Ann Deku, veteran teacher and dedicated community leader is the first recipient of the Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership and Community Change. Mary Ann Deku has worked for the past 30 years adding value through community volunteerism, while mobilizing citizens to bring about positive change. From working to promotevoter registration in our schools and housing complexes, to providing leadership as co-chair of a Community Indicator taskforce, Mary Ann has effectively attracted and organized our citizens to address needs and promote a better quality of life. As an educator, Mary Ann has implemented effective Character Education programs at Mary H. Wright Elementary School, teaching students to become better citizens through serving others.  Through her leadership, local students have raised finds in creative ways to help those in need in our community during Child Abuse Month, on World Food Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  She has made a personal investment in the lives of our young people in and out of the classroom, helping them reach their fullest potential.  Mary Ann has touched many throughout her years of service. At the Annual Meeting, The Foundation honored Mary Ann Deku in the presence of more than 400 community members. Mrs. Deku was presented with a hand-sculpted award and a $5,000 cash grant which she donated to the Bethlehem Center. Learn more about the history of the Mary L. Thomas Award for Civic Leadership & Community Change and review past recipients.