Sticking to the Fundamentals While Becoming More Than Just a Grantmaker

This is a follow up from the Foundation’s January 19 post, The Beginning.

Celebrating 15 Years in Philanthropy
1996-2011

As the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina progressed from its early phase, the Foundation began to develop its own identity. We certainly used our early grantmaking decisions as an incubator for future decision making and direction. We learned from the grants we made and tweaked our process many different times. Our fundamental focus of working to alleviate poverty in South Carolina has never changed but how we approach it has.

We have gone from 100% of our dollars going to grantmaking to a combination of grantmaking, public policy work, communications, capacitybuilding and research and evaluation efforts. It is the Foundation’s belief that the more comprehensive and diversified the work becomes, the greater impact we can have on poverty. Grant dollars are important but they are not and should not be the only plan of action. There are just not enough grant dollars to go around. With this knowledge, the Foundation has invested in a host of programs, initiatives and partnerships that have created a philanthropic platform that transcends our dollars and allows us to create change in multiple ways.

Below are five key factors that were taken from the Foundation’s early grantmaking to the current, more-established organization:

• Have an engaged and dedicated board that embraces the mission and helps you strategically evolve as an organization. The Foundation’s board (even as the faces change) has always been completely immersed in the Foundation’s work and committed to the goals and principles. 
• Have a capable staff that can see the big picture and use their skills and ability to affect the overall mission. The Foundation’s staff is built on integrity, ability, mission effectiveness and teamwork. 
• Be willing to change direction as needed. A plan that is not working is not good for anyone. So, at times, the Foundation has changed course and improved its work. 
• Plan your work and implement it with the end in mind. Know where you want to go. The Foundation board and staff have truly grasped the idea of collective thinking and determining what kind of organization the Foundation becomes given multiple variables, including declining assets and a huge demand for Foundation resources. 
• Have an open door policy. Be willing to talk to people about their ideas and plans. Be willing to meet everyone as if they are a potential partner or friend. Sometimes it is not a good fit but many times it is. If the Foundation had been “hands off” with its approach to philanthropy, there would have been many missed opportunities.

This Sisters of Charity Foundation strives to change lives and communities each and every day. We do it with conviction and we do it with compassion and respect for others. We make mistakes like everyone else but I like to believe that we learn from our mistakes and grow from our experiences. That is what makes a good grantmaking organization.

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Father’s Day is a time to reflect on the experiences that many of us have with our fathers and, as fathers, with our own children. However, many children will spend this Father’s day without a dad present in their lives. One of the important initiatives of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has been to re-engage dads with their children. Often times, circumstances create a complicated dynamic between fathers and their children, particularly in South Carolina’s poor communities. Sine 1998, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has invested more than $17 million to help reconnect fathers with their children. The Foundation has also assisted fathers in becoming contributing members of society. This is accomplished through multiple fatherhood programs around the state. Program services include support for job training, relationship building, education (acquiring a GED), payment of child support, health access and an array of other areas of support to meet fathers where they most need it.

The statistics are impressive. The South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, an outgrowth of the Foundation's Fatherhood Initiative, reports that more than 1,500 men were served through their programs last year. From that group, 452 gained employment and paid more than $964,000 in child support. Some were even able to pay arrears for past due child support, and more than $179,000 in arrears was collected. Had fatherhood programs not been an option for these men, there is a strong probability that they would have landed in jail which would have cost state taxpayers a significant expense. The South Carolina Supreme Court Justice and many Family Court Judges have embraced the “alternatives to incarceration” concept and Family Court Judges are ordering men to enroll in fatherhood programs. Many of these men attend parenting education classes and most increase the time spent with their child. Several received health screenings and gained access to health care for health issues that previously were untreated, such as hypertension and diabetes.

So as we celebrate Father’s Day in 2011, we have a lot to be grateful for. We are grateful for our own fathers and also for our children. South Carolinians should also be grateful for the programs and services that are being provided for those fathers who have very few options and are struggling to meet their parental and financial obligations. Let’s hope that this Father’s Day is a special one for all of South Carolina’s fathers and their children. They all deserve it.

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

Foundation To Unveil Leadership In Diversity Award

The Sisters of Charity Foundation will introduce a new award this month. The award, Leadership in Diversity, allows the Foundation to recognize an individual or organization who has championed diversity through action and leadership. The Foundation’s ongoing commitment to diversity is important. It is a fundamental part of our culture and it is essential for us to, not only demonstrate the value we place on diversity, but also to publicly share these values with others.

The award will be a model example of a person or organization’s accomplishments made through community engagement, awareness, bridge building, compassionate leadership and courageous advocacy. The awards’ first recipient will be announced on June 13 during the Foundation’s Celebration and Awards Luncheon.  

The Foundation is excited about this award and what it represents. It is a real chance for the Foundation to recognize others that have worked across racial, religious and cultural lines and brought about positive change throughout our community and state. Leadership in Diversity Award recipients demonstrate a commitment to cultural awareness and are steering the successful integration of diversity, equity and fairness principles into practices.

As the Foundation works to lift families out of poverty, it is the Foundation’s goal to lead, and to find leaders that embrace and can further the Foundation’s mission. Leadership can take on many shapes. It is important that leaders in our community have a passion for and a commitment to the underserved population as we work in diverse communities.  The Leadership in Diversity award is a monumental next step for the Foundation, and we look forward to introducing it and recognizing its first recipient on Monday. 

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

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

Our Voices, Our Stories: A Look Back on 2010 Listening Sessions

As part of the Foundation’s commitment to listen directly to those experiencing poverty in South Carolina, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina conducted four community Listening Sessions in Allendale, Johns Island, Greenwood and Bennettsville in 2010. Each location was strategically selected because of the different levels of poverty. For example, one community had a 16 percent poverty rate, while another one had 32 percent.

The response to the Foundation’s Listening Sessions was overwhelming with over 270 individuals participating, representing nearly 100 organizations across the four locations. Specific attention was given to obtaining diverse representation and perspectives. More than half of the participants voluntarily provided demographic information. The demographics of those that responded included:

• 57% female, 40% male;
• 34% African American, 27% Latino/Hispanic; 23% Caucasian/White, 5% were Native American;
• 36% were unemployed while 15% were working part-time;
• 24% had attended middle school or some high school as their highest level education, 17% had either a GED or high school diploma;
• 19% had an income range of $25,000 or below while 15% had an income range of $25,000 to $49,000.

During each Listening Session, a Foundation board of trustee’s member or staff member facilitated small focused table discussions among attendees to elicit their perspectives on their experience of poverty and its impact on their community. Throughout the Listening Sessions, families experiencing poverty shared―in a heartfelt way―their struggles, joys and pain.

They were remarkably open with us as they invited us humbly into their lives. We witnessed first-hand tremendous strength and resilience among those we talked with, felt their deep sense of heritage and heard the importance of informal support systems (friendships and family ties). Perhaps what resonated most was the importance and fundamental role faith and spirituality plays in their lives.

One Johns Island Hispanic resident shared, “we believe in God and have faith, that’s all we have.”

Those with a strong spiritual foundation and faith used this faith as an inspiration as they work to overcome so many barriers in order to move out of poverty.

“We’re just trying to make it from day to day," shared one Greenwood resident.

We wrapped up our Listening Sessions by asking participants to share their potential ideas, solutions and resources needed in their community in order to reduce poverty.

As one resident in Allendale shared, “people need to be given a chance to do something with their lives.”

“I need to see the hope to believe there is hope. Instead of telling me, show me the hope,” said one Bennettsville youth. 

Across the locations, twelve recommendations for action fell in four primary areas: social services, education, health and strengthening the community. Families experiencing poverty want to know that people care and are invested in their success.

Read the full summary and recommendations made during the 2010 Listening Sessions



Stephanie Cooper-Lewter is the senior director of research for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.

The True Reality of Grantmaking Today

Today’s demand for philanthropic dollars is chaotic.  The need for resources is overwhelming and it is affecting both large and small nonprofits. Many non-profits believe that foundations such as the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina are going to be the “quick fix” to their current financial challenges. Unfortunately, it does not work that way.

Most foundations move very deliberately and purposefully. They don’t make quick decisions nor do they “knee jerk” to crisis needs. The one common denominator is that foundations do have dollars to spend and nonprofits need dollars to spend. Other than that, every foundation has a different set of giving principles, goals and desired outcomes. Often times, an organization will apply for and expect funding from a foundation simply because the organization has a similar mission to the foundation’s mission. But more and more, foundations are looking “inward” at what they want to accomplish, than looking “outward” at what others want or need to accomplish.

In other words, foundations are becoming more intentional about their grant giving. Foundations have their own set of indicators that determine whether or not they are successful or meeting their own mission. Sometimes it aligns with a nonprofit and sometimes it doesn’t. For example, the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina has limited resources which force us to make extremely difficult decisions about how and where the Foundation does its social investing. It is just the way it is. Equipping families with the resources to live out of poverty is ambitious and a very difficult hill for us to climb. It is our goal to have the greatest impact on reducing poverty, mostly through addressing causes rather than consequences. That is not to say that we don’t invest in consequences but it is not our priority. We are going to dig deeper and invest more strategically to influence change that defines who we are and the goals and outcomes we, as a funder, must achieve.
 

This may require fewer grants to fewer organizations but the organizations that are funded will clearly align with our mission, focus, desired outcomes and key indicators. We will be looking for more defined partners to help us meet our goals. It is the only way we can be truly effective and measure the changes we are able to affect in poor communities and neighborhoods. Some funds will continue to be directed towards meeting basic needs. A lot of individuals and families are struggling and we cannot, in good conscience, ignore that. However, true change in the lives of those living in generational poverty will require more of our attention and resources as we move “further upstream” to find the answers and create greater impact.

Our hope is that future consequences of poverty will be less severe because needed prevention, intervention, learning, skill building and life style changes have occurred on the front end.  There is no doubt that many nonprofit organizations are trying to do good work in communities across South Carolina. Unfortunately, we can only choose a few and align with them to further our goals and mission of lifting families out of poverty.

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina