Sisters Make Impact in South Carolina; Leave Legacy

In 1937 a group of Catholic nuns mortgaged their Motherhouse in Ohio and traveled to Columbia, South Carolina―an unfamiliar place―to establish a Catholic hospital. What started as a request from then Diocese of Charleston Bishop Emmet Walsh to the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, has developed into a thoughtful array of ministries responding to community needs in Columbia and throughout the state.

In 1996 the Sisters used funds obtained through the sale of half of the hospital to create the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina. (The Sisters have since bought back this half and wholly own the hospital.) The Sisters could have done a number of things with this money, but recognizing the need, they started the Foundation to address community challenges at the core of poverty.

This year, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina celebrates 15 years in philanthropy. As a statewide funder, with initial assets of $85 million, the Foundation has provided financial support in all 46 counties of South Carolina. Since inception, the Foundation has awarded over 1,400 grants, totaling more than $42 million, to nonprofit, faith-based, academic and governmental organizations. Some of these funds have been leveraged to account for $21 million in additional resources. In the midlands alone, the Foundation has funded more than $23 million to organizations providing services in this area. 

The Sisters of Charity Foundation has impacted nonprofits beyond grantmaking. Through its Carolina Academy for Nonprofits, created in 2008, the Foundation has provided training and technical assistance to hundreds of nonprofit staff and volunteers at no cost.

Furthermore, the Foundation has spearheaded the start of several new organizations to meet targeted needs and foster collaboration. The Foundation was instrumental in the creation of the South Carolina Grantmakers Network, formed in 1997. The South Carolina Grantmakers Network is a group of more than 40 philanthropic grantmaking organizations across the state who come together to discuss current issues and common concerns. The Foundation aided in forming the South Carolina Center for Grassroots and Non-Profit Leadership at Clemson University, the South Carolina Afterschool Alliance and the Fatherhood Policy Project Office. The South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families was created in 2002 as an outgrowth of the Foundation’s Fatherhood Initiative, a statewide initiative working to strengthen relationships between low-income fathers and their families in South Carolina. All of these examples impact our state and its citizens in different ways.

With the vision that families in South Carolina have the resources to live out of poverty, the Foundation serves as an advocate for the poor. Through community listening sessions, representing the interests of the underserved to elected officials and serving as convener, the Foundation is a voice for the poor in our communities.

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina is celebrating 15 years in philanthropy. Fifteen years of strategically using resources to reduce poverty. Fifteen years of practicing collaboration, compassion, courage, justice and respect to fulfill its mission. None of this would be possible without the vision of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine; a group of women―through faith―who risked their home to begin a new journey here in South Carolina. Their legacy will continue through their ministries and with the lives they have touched.

Similar article published in The State Newspaper.

Government Should Support Philanthropy, But Can’t Rely on Foundations to Make Up for Budget Cuts

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina recently joined other grantmakers in the state and across the nation to participate in Foundations on the Hill. The purpose of Foundations on the Hill is to inform and educate Congress about philanthropy, create visibility for foundations and philanthropy on Capitol Hill, advocate on issues affecting foundations and encourage Congress to view foundations as resources on key public policy issues.

Given the current economic climate, coupled with four new members in the House, it was very important for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina to remind and educate Congress on the importance of the philanthropic sector and start building relationships with our new Congressional delegation. 
 
In a series of briefing sessions―hosted by the Council of Foundations―preceding the Hill visits, the group was able to hear from a variety of Members of Congress and their staffers. The majority of Hill staffers present vocalized their thoughts that foundations can make up for government shortfalls, especially as the budgets are cut. This is a huge misconception. Government can’t expect foundations to fill funding cuts.
 
Mother Teresa once said, “What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” This is also true of foundation resources; compared to government dollars, foundation funding is just a drop―albeit vital― in the ocean. 
 
However, philanthropy is still a resource for government. Philanthropy is independent, innovative and an investment in communities. It uses private resources to do public good, and its independence allows the philanthropic sector to takes risks, achieve greater results and affect change. Through leveraging resources, flexibility and ingenuity, philanthropy drives innovation and is a breeding ground for great ideas. Lastly, philanthropy invests in long term solutions for our country’s most challenging problems. 
 
Foundations tend to be more familiar with the issues in the communities they serve. While they may not be the ones on the ground doing work, they support these nonprofits and have built great relationships. Foundations can also identify, test and replicate best practices in communities.
 
More and more people are turning to philanthropy to address the challenges facing our communities. Thus, government must do all it can to encourage and support philanthropy and foster the charitable character of Americans. 

Brooke Bailey is the director of communications and public policy for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina