In 2026, Central Carolina Community Foundation undertook a comprehensive community assessment to better understand the strengths, challenges and opportunities shaping the 11 counties we serve. We heard from over 3,500 residents and nonprofit and municipal leaders through a series of surveys and focus groups. We will also be examining existing community data to add context to what people shared with us.
The data dashboard is the first in a series of resources we will release from this work. It provides an opportunity to explore quantitative findings from the surveys by geography and demographic characteristics. In the months ahead, we will share additional resources that bring together resident and nonprofit perspectives, focus group themes, community-level data and deeper analysis.
Our goal is not simply to collect information, but to make what we heard useful. These findings will inform the Foundation’s work while also providing communities, nonprofits, funders and other partners with information they can use to better understand and strengthen the Midlands.
Thousands of people across the Midlands shared their perspectives through our 2026 Community Assessment. Explore findings from our resident and nonprofit leader surveys and see what the data tell us about communities across the region.
Resources will be released throughout the fall, including county and regional snapshots, focus group themes, and other community data. A comprehensive report will follow, connecting what we learned with how the Foundation and our partners can respond.
As new resources are released, they will be added here.
These downloadable summaries offer a quick look at the survey findings featured in the dashboard above. Explore resident results for the Midlands and each county, along with findings from nonprofit leaders across the region.
Discover what 168 nonprofit leaders shared about community needs, organizational capacity, and support that would strengthen their work. Fundraising emerged as a priority, with 71% identifying it as an area where additional support would help.
Explore responses from 3,377 residents across the Midlands about basic needs, belonging, opportunities, and community life. Among respondents, 58% said they have enough income or resources to meet their basic needs.
Explore perspectives from 151 Calhoun County residents on community strengths and challenges. Among respondents, 83% said they are proud to live in their county.
Discover what 95 Clarendon County residents shared about basic needs, connection, and community opportunities. Among respondents, 72% said they have people to count on in their county.
Explore responses from 131 Fairfield County residents about everyday life and community wellbeing. While 76% of respondents said they feel safe in their neighborhood, 38% said they can easily find information about community happenings.
Discover perspectives from 167 Kershaw County residents on access to resources, belonging, and community life. Among respondents, 82% said they feel welcome and comfortable using public places.
Explore what 91 Lee County residents shared about community life and access to essential resources. Among respondents caring for children, 46% disagreed that those children have reliable access to child care.
Discover responses from 929 Lexington County residents about basic needs, social connection, and community assets. Among respondents, 41% agreed that people like them can help shape community decisions.
Explore perspectives from 152 Newberry County residents on community strengths and opportunities. Among respondents, 81% said they could spend time in nature if they wanted to.
Discover what 163 Orangeburg County residents shared about wellbeing, belonging, and access to resources. Healthcare access emerged as a challenge, with 41% of respondents disagreeing that they can get the healthcare they need.
Explore responses from 928 Richland County residents about basic needs, connection, and community opportunities. Among respondents, 59% said their community offers events that bring people together.
Discover perspectives from 415 Saluda County residents on community life and access to essential resources. Among respondents, 46% said they have enough income or resources to meet their basic needs.
Explore what 155 Sumter County residents shared about community strengths and challenges. Among respondents, 75% said they could spend time in nature if they wanted to.
Want to know when new community assessment findings and resources are released? Sign up for Community Assessment Updates to receive occasional emails as new data products, analysis and opportunities to engage with the findings become available.
Sign Up for Assessment UpdatesCentral Carolina Community Foundation is undertaking a comprehensive Community Assessment to better understand the strengths, opportunities, and evolving needs across the Midlands. Guided by the approach of “Listen, Analyze, Reflect, Apply,” this process will bring together community voices, public data, nonprofit perspectives, and Foundation insights to help shape future grantmaking, community leadership efforts, donor engagement, and partnerships. Through this work, Central Carolina Community Foundation will serve as a resource for the region by producing regional and county-level reports that highlight key data, trends, and community perspectives gathered through the assessment. The Community Assessment will take place from May – December 2026.
1: Gather Community Perspectives (May - June 2026)
The first phase focuses on listening directly to the people and organizations that make up our community. Through surveys of residents and nonprofit leaders, we will gather insights about community priorities, strengths, and areas where additional support may be needed.
This phase helps ensure the assessment reflects lived experiences from across the Midlands. The resident and nonprofit leaders surveys are closed, and incentives have been distributed. Survey results will be made available soon.
2: Facilitate Community Focus Groups (July 2026)
18 focus groups were conducted with 159 residents and nonprofit and municipal leaders across the Midlands, in partnership with GOODSTOCK Consulting to facilitate the focus groups.
3: Analyze Publicly Available Data (September - November 2026)
In this phase, the Foundation will review publicly available, quantitative data to better understand community conditions and trends. This includes demographic, economic, housing, health, education, and social indicators.
By combining community input with trusted data sources, we can identify both broad patterns and areas where challenges overlap or opportunities exist.
4: Understand the Foundation's Position (October - November 2026)
The Foundation will examine its own organizational data to more deeply understand where resources are currently being invested and how those investments align with community priorities. A funder landscape analysis will also be done to understand the Foundation’s position in the broader ecosystem.
These analyses will help identify opportunities to strengthen impact, deepen partnerships, and align philanthropic resources with areas of greatest need and opportunity.
5: Reflect with Stakeholders (August - December 2026)
In this phase, Foundation staff and Board members will engage alongside community partners, nonprofit leaders, and other stakeholders to reflect on the findings across phases 1-4 and discuss emerging themes.
These conversations will help validate insights, identify priorities, and explore opportunities for collective action. By bringing together diverse perspectives from across the community and the Foundation, this phase will help ensure the assessment informs meaningful, community-centered decisions and strengthens partnerships across the Midlands.
The Foundation is proud to partner with Robin Waites Consulting to facilitate our internal reflections with staff.
6: Share and Apply Learnings (August - December 2026)
The final phase focuses on sharing key findings and applying insights across the Foundation and the broader community. The Foundation will engage community stakeholders in conversations about what was learned through the assessment process and what it means for the future of the Midlands.
Findings from the Community Assessment will help inform future grantmaking strategies, community leadership efforts, donor engagement, and collaborative initiatives. The Foundation also plans to share insights publicly to encourage transparency, strengthen partnerships, and support informed decision-making across the region.
By sharing what we learn and working together around shared priorities, the assessment can serve as a catalyst for collaboration and long-term community impact.
The Foundation is proud to partner with Megascope Data to build public facing data visualizations for the community assessment data.