Community foundations are independent, public charities that steward philanthropic resources from institutional and individual donors to community-based organizations. Community foundations strengthen communities by enabling people to create charitable funds that address a wide range of interests. Through visionary, diverse, and inclusive philanthropy, community foundations have become catalysts for significant community change.

Created by the citizens of a local area, a community foundation is a tax-exempt public charity that helps people accomplish their philanthropic goals. Community foundations work in partnership with concerned citizens, nonprofits and governments to achieve community goals and maximize grantmaking effectiveness.

By offering a variety of charitable funds, community foundations enable people to easily and effectively support the issues they care about. Each fund is professionally managed, and endowed assets continue to grow over time. The Spartanburg County Foundation is the oldest community foundation in South Carolina.

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What makes us your best alternative for giving?
Here are some of the reasons donors, non-profits and grantees have made The Spartanburg County Foundation their first choice for over 60 years:

Personal Service
By developing a close working relationship with each donor, we are able to make the giving process easy and flexible. At the same time, you have access to all our resources, as well as our knowledge of the community and its challenges. This team philosophy creates a powerful synergy, which maximizes the effect of every dollar. Should you have questions or other needs, we're always just a phone call or email away.

Local Expertise
Because of the active community involvement of the Board and staff members, we have an in-depth understanding of the ever-changing needs and challenges of Spartanburg County. By continually making site visits, partnering with non-profits, and monitoring the pulse of the community, we're able to make timely recommendations for giving, now and in the future.

Community Leadership
Governed by leaders with strong ties to the community, we go above and beyond the business of grant making. The Foundation also serves as a catalyst to bring diverse groups together to collaborate, form partnerships, address issues, foster giving and generate involvement. One critical part of these efforts is our "Community Indicators," an initiative that tracks the changes and challenges of Spartanburg County, while establishing clear goals along the way. Working in partnership with United Way, Spartanburg County and USC Upstate, the Indicators help public, private and nonprofit entities join together to address the most pressing needs of our community.