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By Leon G. Russ
HOMETOWN NEWS
The first thing John Dargan, President and CEO of The Spartanburg County Foundation, points out is The Foundation has been helping Spartanburg since 1943, adding, “We’re the oldest community foundation in the state of South Carolina.”
It began when Walter Scott Montgomery, Sr. wrote a check for $10,000 on November 27, 1943 to establish the Spartanburg Community Foundation to benefit the citizens of Spartanburg County.
Now entering its 66th year The Foundation manages assets in excess of $75 million through more than 700 funds, with each fund professionally managed and endowed.
Dargan explains, “The funds are made up of individuals, corporations, non-profits, (and) neighborhood groups.”
He added, “Anyone or anything could have a fund with us so long as the purpose is charitable in nature and addresses the quality of life in Spartanburg County.”
To put The Foundation’s work in the simplest terms, they take contributions in and distribute grants out that benefit the county and its residents.
Some established organizations in Spartanburg that received Foundation funding at startup include Hatcher Gardens, the Spartanburg Area Conservancy (SPACE) and Piedmont Cares.
Dargan explained the foundation distributes grants from various funds including agency endowments, field of interest funds, private foundations, donor-advised funds, gift annuities and trusts.
He pointed out the benefit of dealing with a community foundation over a banking institution by noting “there are more attractive IRS benefits for dealing with a community foundation as opposed to a private foundation.”
Dargan points out The Spartanburg County Foundation is widely known for its community knowledge, community leadership and grant making to support charitable causes throughout the greater Spartanburg County area.
It is this “hometown perspective”, he says, that sets The Foundation apart from “a bank, Merrill Lynch or a trust department or some other financial manager. (It) is our community knowledge.”
He said The Foundation brings that knowledge to you and “let’s you know what the causes are in the community. Where the problems are, where the challenges are and be a partner with you in that charitable relationship.”
It allows a person or non-profit to know that their funds are going to “good causes that need a lot of help that you might not otherwise be aware of because you were out on your own.”
Dargan states you won’t find a bank or financial manager doing that. “No one else is doing that, that sets us apart.”
The Foundation makes grants in five areas, arts and culture, health, the environment, health and human services, and education. Dargan notes The Foundation will work with you every step of the way to tailor a charitable giving program that fits your personal goals and financial situation.
While grant management and fund management is probably the best known aspect of The Spartanburg County Foundation it isn’t the only aspect. The Foundation also is deeply involved in community leadership and that’s the area Mary L. Thomas, Executive Vice President of The Foundation, loves to expound upon.
She explains, “The other thing we do a good job at is bringing people together to focus on the areas they care about.”
She explained one way the foundation determines need is based on their “Community Indicators,” an initiative that tracks the changes and challenges of Spartanburg County, while establishing clear goals along the way.
Working in partnership with United Way, Spartanburg County and USC Upstate, the Indicators help public, private and nonprofit entities join together to address the most pressing needs of the community.
Thomas also speaks of their Leadership Development Institute that’s going into its seventh year. “It’s about finding ordinary people doing extraordinary work in their neighborhood,” she says.
These citizens are sent to a seven-month workshop to teach them to be strategic thinkers. It helps them to better serve their community as it gives them confidence when going in front of a city or county council or a PTA board.
Thomas noted, “We’ve graduated one hundred twenty leaders in the last six years” and are looking for members for their next class.
Those wanting to be a part of the next Leadership Development Institute are urged to visit The Foundation’s web site at www.spcf.org.
“We try to recruit a class of about twenty-five,” said Thomas. “It’s very intense but you get a lot of value out of it.”
She said the hope is the graduates will take what they’ve learned and continue to get involved and better their communities.
Women Giving for Spartanburg is another Foundation program, this one in its third year. Each woman in the program gives $1,100 per year so they can make an immediate impact in Spartanburg County. In the last three years Women Giving for Spartanburg has distributed nearly $700,000 in grants.
Thomas said The Foundation is “working on an education initiative” that should be rolled out in 2010.
“Our Education statistics in Spartanburg are pretty alarming and so the Spartanburg community is taking on a bold vision to ensure forty percent of the individuals over age 25 will have a post-secondary degree by 2030.”
That will allow Spartanburg to recruit more white-collar jobs and improve the quality of life, she said.
Dargan sums up what The Foundation is all about by noting, “There’s an old adage that if you take care of the community, the community takes care of you. We live by that. We’re here for the community.”
To learn more about The Spartanburg County Foundation you can call 582-0138 or visit their web at www.spcf.org.
lruss@hometown-news.com
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