Frequently Asked Questions

Why philanthropy?
People have a desire to help. People want to make a difference. And they want to be a part of a process that will continue to make their community better with each generation. People give for all kinds of reasons:

What is a community foundation?
In simple terms, a community foundation is a platform for building community. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity, community foundations help individuals, families, businesses and organizations establish charitable funds to which they may contribute various assets. From these funds, charitable investments are made in order to support the projects that respond to the needs of the community and the philanthropic objectives of the donor.

What is Central Carolina Community Foundation?
We are a permanent endowment serving thousands of people who share a common goal of improving the quality of life in the 11-county Midlands area. The 11 counties we serve include Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda and Sumter.

Do I have to give now?
We help you develop a giving strategy that meets your particular needs. You can give now or later, as part of your estate plan.

How do I get started?
The first step, and perhaps the most important one, is to think about your goals. Why do you want to give? What type of impact do you want to make in the community? Next, you will want to decide when to give. We can assist in helping you establish a fund immediately or in the future. A financial advisor can also provide guidance when making these decisions. With these two questions answered, you will want to decide what to give. There are many options available. We will be happy to talk with you to determine what strategy and combination of options is best for you. 

Who decides which proposals to fund?
Joan Fail Hoffman, Director of Grantmaking & Programs, reviews all letters of intent and proposals to ensure that organizations and their programs meet the criteria and requirements established by the Community Foundation Board. The volunteer Distribution Committee of the Board of Trustees then evaluates all the letters of intents and proposals we receive. After that, the Committee reviews its work and recommends allocation of amounts it feels are appropriate. Their recommendations are then forwarded to the Foundations Board for action and a vote of approval.

What kind of projects do you fund?
We make grants to 501(c)(3) organizations in an 11-county service area in the Midlands, including Calhoun, Clarendon, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda and Sumter counties. Anything that would qualify with the IRS as a charitable project spanning the fields of health, human services, education, arts and culture, civic projects, and the environment could be considered eligible for a grant. We encourage organizations to collaborate with other nonprofits. Organizations in Richland and Lexington counties should consider the priorities outlined in Facing Facts: A Study of Issues That Shape Our Region when developing programs, but any organization that aligns with our grantmaking values will be considered for a grant.

How large are your grants?
Our Board has decided that rather than funding several relatively small grants, we would rather fund a few large projects to make a stronger community impact, so most of our grants are up to $10,000, depending on the need.

Can I just call and ask for an application? When are the deadlines?
The Community Foundation does not have a formal application for Community Impact or Organizational Impact grants; however, we do request a letter of intent and a proposal. All of the guidelines, criteria, proposal requirements and other information are posted on our website in the Nonprofit Resources section.

We do encourage organizations to review the Nonprofit Resources and Scholarships section to determine which type of grant they may be eligible for and then call the Joan Fail Hoffman, Director of Grantmaking and Programs at 803.254.5601 x. 328.

There are two phases in our grantmaking process, and each organization must submit a letter of intent for phase one in order to be invited to submit a proposal in phase two.

The deadlines for the letter of intent are February 15 and August 15 of each year. If you are asked to submit a proposal, the deadlines are April 15 (for a February 15 letter of intent) and October 15 (for an August 15 letter of intent) of each year.

What happens if I miss the deadline? Is there any way I can still submit?
Unfortunately, no and there are no exceptions to this policy. In order to be fair to all organizations, we must strictly enforce our deadlines. That means we must have information in our office by 5:00 p.m. on deadline dates (NOT postmarked). If the deadline dates fall on a weekend or holiday, materials are due the following business day. Please do not put us in the uncomfortable position of reiterating this policy if you do not make the deadline; however, we welcome your letter of intent or proposal in the next grant cycle.

Why are there two phases in the Community Impact Grants and Organizational Impact Grants?
In 2002, the Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation approved a new set of grantmaking values and guidelines created by the Foundations Distribution Committee in order to embody more strategic and impactive grantmaking. To this end, the Committee determined that requesting a full proposal from all interested nonprofits was a time consuming and inefficient process for everyone involved. Therefore, the Committee instituted the letter of intent. This two-page summary gives the Committee enough information to determine whether or not they might be interested in funding a program. At that point, some nonprofits are invited to submit a full proposal.

How long does it take the Community Foundation Board to make a decision about grants, and should I call to check on the status of my letter of intent or proposal?
From the letter of intent deadline, it generally takes the Community Foundation Board one month to make a decision about which nonprofits will be invited to submit a proposal. From the proposal deadline, it generally take the Community Foundation Board six to eight weeks to determine which projects will be funded.

The Community Foundation does everything they can to expedite the distribution process. If we have questions about your information we will call you; otherwise, please allow our staff and Board time to process all of the submissions and make our decision. We do everything we can to let organizations know their status in a timely manner.

Does having an endowment with the Central Carolina Community Foundation, help or hurt a nonprofits chance to receive a grant?
Neither. Having an endowment with the Community Foundation has no bearing when it comes to receiving a grant. If you have an endowment with us but your organization needs a grant, go ahead and apply. You will be on even footing with all our other applicants.

Do you make grants to capital campaigns?
No.

Do you fund salaries and operating expenses?
Not usually, however, there are some exceptions. Our Organizational Impact Grants focus on increasing the strength and impact of the organizations operations, rather than a program. However, even these grants focus on development in a particular management area, not salaries and operating expenses.

Do you give any multi-year grants?
Because there are so many projects in the community that deserve and need funding, we limit our grants to one year. An organization may reapply for a grant in a consecutive year, but no guarantees can be made that funding will be sustained the subsequent year. It is our hope that organizations with effective and important programs can find other support or decide to include the expense in their budgets so that we may help start or enhance other community projects.

Does the number of people who will be affected by a grant matter?
It is certainly something that the Committee considers, but our efforts to positively affect the community are measured qualitatively as well as quantitatively.

Should we have a professional grant writer prepare our proposal?
It is not necessary. We have a simple process and those who read them are more interested in the reality of the need and the quality of the plan for addressing it than in the elegance of the grant request language. This does not mean that you cannot use a grant writer, it's just not necessary.

Our grant request was turned down. Why?
Please remember that it is difficult to have to say no to good people doing important work. Letters of intent and proposals are not usually turned down because they are bad. Occasionally, a proposal will fall outside the bounds of our guidelines, and the Distribution Committee will find itself unable to help. (Please read the grantmaking values and talk with Joan Fail Hoffman, Director of Grantmaking & Programs, at 803.254.5601 x. 328 before you invest the time and energy.) Generally, a rejection means the competition was very tough. If you have received notification that your grant was denied, please give our staff two weeks to complete the process and then contact Ms. Hoffman and discuss your proposal. There may be some helpful feedback for your organization to consider for the next grant cycle.

What percentage of the dollars distributed each year by the Community Foundation are allocated at the discretion of the Distribution Committee and this grantmaking process?
In 2006-2007, a little more than 5% of the unrestricted funds were allocated in this manner. The remainder of the dollars distributed came from donor advised, donor advised escrow, designated, scholarship, field of interest or agency endowment funds which had parameters placed upon the distributions when the funds were established. We have a tremendous need for more unrestricted funds.