Foundations that fund organizations in Columbia, South Carolina
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Columbia nonprofits
631 private foundations gave $66M to Columbia organizations in their latest filings; 42 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
1,405 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Columbia around $70K. 30 of these funders are based in South Carolina; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 631
- Accept applications
- 42
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to Columbia
- $66M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 1,405
- Typical median grant
- $70K
- Based in SC
- 30%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Columbia organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Duke Endowment | Charlotte, NC | 29 | $14M | $238K | Yes | To provide immediate relief in south carolina in the afterm…; To continue intermediary support of triple p implementation…; To continue intermediary support for the strengthening fami… |
| Bluecross Blueshield of South Carolina Foundation | Columbia, SC | 19 | $10.0M | $388K | Preselected only | Investing in South Carolina Children; Building a Stronger Health Care Workforce; Access to Care |
| David and Nicole Tepper Charitable Foundation | Short Hills, NJ | 2 | $3.8M | $1.9M | Preselected only | General support |
| The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation | Houston, TX | 5 | $3.3M | $625K | Preselected only | College Park UMC renovation.; McNair Scholars (Spring 2024+MSE).; McNair Institute. |
| Darnall W and Susan F Boyd Foundation Inc | Columbia, SC | 13 | $2.9M | $43K | Preselected only | Charitable contribution to assist in organization's charita… |
| The Leon Levine Foundation | Charlotte, NC | 20 | $2.1M | $60K | Yes | General Support; One SC Fund; Capital Campaign |
| Michael J Mungo Foundation | Irmo, SC | 28 | $2.0M | $23K | Preselected only | Operating costs |
| Wells Fargo Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | 10 | $1.4M | $35K | Preselected only | Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator; Money Basics Volunteer Opportunities; Pre-Apprenticeship Program |
| Frank J & Lucy C Hartzog Memorial Foundation Inc | Blackville, SC | 1 | $1.1M | $1.1M | Yes | Support |
| The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable Trust | Sumter, SC | 8 | $1.0M | $25K | Yes | Operations; Special project; Matching scholorships, gym |
| Lilly Endowment Inc | Indianapolis, IN | 1 | $1.0M | $1.0M | Yes | Pathways for tomorrow initiative |
| Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation | Richmond, VA | 70 | $964K | $5,500 | Yes | Hurricane helene relief; One sc fund: hurricane helene; Hurricane helene relief efforts |
| The Nord Family Foundation | Amherst, OH | 24 | $922K | $34K | Yes | Continued general operating support; Grant for match; General operating support |
| Publix Super Markets Charities Inc | Lakeland, FL | 26 | $781K | $8,750 | Yes | Organization's charitable purpose |
| Watson-Brown Foundation Inc | Thomson, GA | 3 | $585K | $12K | Yes | Awarded scholarship grants |
| Laura and John Arnold Foundation | Houston, TX | 7 | $582K | $64K | Preselected only | To support policyengine, by enhancing policyengine's micros…; To support grantee's fiscally sponsored project, policyengi…; To support the procurement of truleo, a system of body-worn… |
| The Andrew W Mellon Foundation | New York, NY | 2 | $574K | $287K | Yes | To support research and implementation for the south caroli…; To support the expansion of migratuse ataraxia through long… |
| The Toby Cassels Foundation | Lexington, SC | 5 | $488K | $37K | Preselected only | General support; Campaign for good |
| Sargent Foundation 5621-14-48 | Philadelphia, PA | 3 | $430K | $75K | Yes | General charitable purpose; General charitable purposes |
| Ka Foundation | Wilmington, NC | 2 | $430K | $215K | Yes | In support of another public charity; In support of sc forestry |
| Dr Miriam & Sheldon G Adelson Medical Research Foundation | Needham, MA | 1 | $402K | $402K | Preselected only | Medical research |
| Wal-Mart Foundation | Bentonville, AR | 1 | $400K | $400K | Yes | Disaster relief and preparedness |
| Cassels Family Foundation | Lexington, SC | 4 | $366K | $70K | Preselected only | Support; Adaptive computer training program; Support of spreading the gospel to school children |
| Hawk Rock Foundation | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1 | $350K | $350K | Preselected only | Charitable / general purpose |
| Jim Hudson Foundation | Columbia, SC | 6 | $338K | $50K | Preselected only | Charitable contribution to assist in organization's chartia… |
| Deus Spes Mea Foundation Inc | Miami, FL | 1 | $325K | $325K | Preselected only | General use |
| Fox Foundation Inc | Lancaster, OH | 1 | $308K | $308K | Yes | General |
| Lipscomb Family Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | 25 | $287K | $12K | Yes | Operating Support |
| Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation | Florence, SC | 3 | $280K | $100K | Preselected only | General support; Funding for needy family's home; Additional endowment funding for florence county students |
| Cw and Dorothy G Love Foundation | McColl, SC | 5 | $266K | $20K | Preselected only | To assist with the budgeted needs of the medical clinic at…; To assist with budget needs; To provide for funding for budget of conservation land trust |
| Tw Warren Fulmer | Dallas, TX | 2 | $257K | $128K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Dick and Betsy Devos Family Foundation | Grand Rapids, MI | 1 | $250K | $250K | Yes | Project/program - student sponsorship |
| Formanek Foundation | Memphis, TN | 1 | $250K | $250K | Yes | To improve the health of children through school-based comm… |
| The Hitchcock Hoagland Foundation | Seaford, NY | 1 | $250K | $250K | Preselected only | General grant |
| The From Him and Through Him Foundation | Lexington, SC | 2 | $246K | $123K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Ford Foundation | New York, NY | 2 | $244K | $122K | Yes | Support for research tied to section 504 regulations to dev…; Core support for the usc center for civil rights and resear… |
| FIRST Citizens Foundation Inc Co FIRST | Raleigh, NC | 6 | $213K | $29K | Yes | General purpose; Grant |
| Duke Energy Foundation | Charlotte, NC | 3 | $210K | $85K | Yes | Grant; Public assistance stlf |
| The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation | Princeton, NJ | 2 | $203K | $101K | Yes | 82522 increasing capacity for health equity advocacy in sou…; 80143 studying barriers keeping residents of two s.c. water… |
| Trott Family Philanthropies Inc | Chicago, IL | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | Stars College Network Program |
| The Marcus Foundation Inc | Atlanta, GA | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization |
| Forrest C & Frances H Lattner Foundation | East Greenwich, RI | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | General support |
| Carolyn Smith Foundation | Hendersonville, TN | 1 | $200K | $200K | Yes | Medical Research |
| Sidney Krauss Foundation Inc | Birmingham, AL | 4 | $194K | $48K | Preselected only | Further jewish welfare; Speech & language therapy; Meet needs of jewish community |
| Norman J and Gerry Sue Arnold Foundation | Columbia, SC | 9 | $190K | $10K | Preselected only | Support and further the exempt purpose of the recipient org… |
| Lucy Hampton Bostick Charitable Trust C/O Mr Robert y Knowlton | Columbia, SC | 9 | $178K | $20K | Preselected only | Support exempt purpose; Support exempt status |
| Laura R & William M Corbett Trust | Dallas, TX | 1 | $172K | $172K | Preselected only | Laura & william corbett |
| Bradley-Turner Foundation Inc | Columbus, GA | 3 | $163K | $50K | Yes | General and operating |
| Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation | Chicago, IL | 8 | $159K | $15K | Yes | General operations; One sc fund for hurricane relief; Expanding capacity in the lowcountry |
| Amerihealth Caritas Foundation | Philadelphia, PA | 2 | $150K | $75K | Preselected only | Project grant |
| The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Los Altos, CA | 1 | $150K | $150K | Yes | Families and Communities |
| The Henry Luce Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $150K | $150K | Yes | Support for gallery improvements and installation of artwork |
| Sylvia & William W Gretsch Memorial Foundation | Ridgeland, SC | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | Promote music education |
| Faith Hope and Love M3d Foundation Inc | Atlanta, GA | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | General operating fund |
| Blanche D Kilpatrick Charitable Ta C/O Synovus Trust Company Na | Charleston, SC | 1 | $145K | $145K | Preselected only | To assist charitable purpose |
| The Longleaf Foundation | Wilmington, NC | 1 | $144K | $144K | Preselected only | General fund |
| The Deloache Family Foundation | Mount Pleasant, SC | 6 | $140K | $20K | Preselected only | Support and further the exempt purpose of the recipient org… |
| Annie E Casey Foundation Inc | Baltimore, MD | 2 | $138K | $69K | Preselected only | Support various KIDS COUNT activities; Support efforts to reform high cost debt and local public c… |
| The Sunshine Foundation Inc | Barnwell, SC | 18 | $136K | $3,750 | Preselected only | Economic; Educational; Environmental |
| The Statler Foundation | Buffalo, NY | 1 | $131K | $131K | Yes | Scholarships and support |
| Martin Family Foundation | St Augustine, FL | 6 | $130K | $13K | Preselected only | Unrestricted grant; Tocqueville society, community impact fund, women in philan…; Special 75th anniversary gift/annual fund, education fund,… |
| Phiferjohnson Foundation | Spartanburg, SC | 1 | $125K | $125K | Preselected only | General support |
| Terra Foundation for American Art | Chicago, IL | 1 | $125K | $125K | Yes | Arts education |
| The Jolley Foundation | Greenville, SC | 5 | $125K | $20K | Yes | General operations |
| Dick Smith Foundation Inc | Columbia, SC | 7 | $122K | $13K | Yes | Amount paid to be used for orangization's exempt purpose |
| The Simpson Foundation | Detroit, MI | 3 | $120K | $35K | Yes | Support of daily operations |
| Giving Ministry Foundation | Graniteville, SC | 2 | $110K | $55K | Preselected only | Support of ministry services |
| The Lowndes Foundation Inc | Boston, MA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | Contribution |
| The Freeman Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | General support |
| Timken Foundation of Canton | Canton, OH | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | Hurricane helene disaster relief |
| The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | "rodney mcmillian: a son of the soil" exhibition |
| Bonner Family Private Foundation | Lexington, SC | 11 | $100K | $10K | Yes | General use; High intensity ultrasound unit; Paws for pediatrics program |
| Livjoy Foundation Inc | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | The LivJoy Foundation Fellowship fund |
| FIRST Lieutenant P F Cureton Jr Fdn | St Louis, MO | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Smith Richardson Foundation Inc | Greensboro, NC | 1 | $97K | $97K | Yes | General operating support |
| Bignon Family Foundation | Irmo, SC | 8 | $92K | $10K | Preselected only | To help promote, support, and advance charitable organizati…; Pet rescue & adoption; Equip deputies with the tools necessary to perform their du… |
| The Chapman Family Charitable Trust C/O Scott Boyd | Columbia, SC | 5 | $90K | $10K | Yes | General |
| The Nemec Abbott Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $89K | $89K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Leslie L Alexander Foundation Inc | Delray Beach, FL | 2 | $85K | $43K | Preselected only | Animal rescue |
| Laughing Gull Foundation | Durham, NC | 2 | $85K | $43K | Preselected only | Best lives center prison edu program; Sc coalition higher edu in prison |
| The Smidt Foundation | Beverly Hills, CA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Freeman Foundation | Washington, DC | 3 | $75K | $25K | Preselected only | General support; Trans Justice South Carolina Project |
| Society of Family Planning | Denver, CO | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | Emerging Scholars |
| Pfizer Patient Assistance Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 2 | $73K | $36K | Yes | Institutional patient assistance program |
| Greenbridge Family Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $73K | $73K | Preselected only | To support education services by opening libraries in priso… |
| Mungo Homes Foundation Inc | Irmo, SC | 3 | $69K | $33K | Preselected only | Operating funds; Operating costs |
| John Winthrop Charitable Trust | Charleston, SC | 1 | $68K | $68K | Preselected only | General |
| The Fullerton Foundation | Gaffney, SC | 1 | $66K | $66K | Yes | Research project at usc's college of engineering & computing |
| Robert Richardson Family Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 4 | $66K | $20K | Preselected only | Ben Lippen Athletic Department; Ben Lippen School; Missionary Medical Relief Fund |
| The Workman Family Charitable Trust | Columbia, SC | 5 | $65K | $10K | Preselected only | General use |
| The Commonwealth Fund | New York, NY | 4 | $60K | $195 | Yes | Matching gifts for general operating support; Regional Health Policy Fellows Program: Dialogues to Inform… |
| Edward B Timmons Jr Charitable Trust | Dallas, TX | 4 | $60K | $10K | Yes | Unrestricted general |
| Maxine & Irving Castle Family Foundation Inc | Williston Park, NY | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Donation |
| William J and Dorothy K O'Neill Foundation Inc | Cleveland, OH | 1 | $60K | $60K | Yes | General operations |
| The Edward L Levine Family Foundation | Charlotte, NC | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Gift |
| Lared Foundation | Millersburg, OH | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Program support |
| Harbison Housing Foundation Inc | Columbia, SC | 5 | $59K | $3,040 | Preselected only | Senior services - housing; Senior services - transportation; Senior services - meals |
| Tuw James Hicks for Scholarships | Dallas, TX | 1 | $59K | $59K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Tim and Sarah Jur Foundation | Cayce, SC | 5 | $59K | $3,700 | Preselected only | Supporting blood donations; Food bank for the indigent; Supporting children |
| August Clouse Tr UW Charitable | Eagan, MN | 1 | $58K | $58K | Preselected only | General operating |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Columbia, South Carolina?
The Duke Endowment, Bluecross Blueshield of South Carolina Foundation, David and Nicole Tepper Charitable Foundation, The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, Darnall W and Susan F Boyd Foundation Inc and 95 others reported grants to Columbia organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Columbia. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.