There are dozens of community foundations scattered throughout the Southeast, so it can be a challenge keeping them all straight and know which ones are relevant in your area. To complicate matters further, there are numerous affiliates of major community foundations with even more hyper-local focuses to keep track of as well. One such affiliate is the Waccamaw Community Foundation, which is an affiliate of the Coastal Community Foundation in South Carolina.
Here are some details that stand out about the Waccamaw Community Foundation (WCF) and what nonprofits in and around Murrells Inlet should know.
Two counties in focus
With WAC, you’ll only be competing against your closest neighbors for grants. This is because WAC’s mission is to improve the quality of life in the counties of Horry and Georgetown. WAC has been on the local grantmaking scene since 1999 and has given out over $21 million in grants.
Multiple competitive grant opportunities exist
There is a twice-yearly competitive grant program at WAC to address the needs of local nonprofits. There are multiple funds at WAC that nonprofits can apply to, such as the Elsie Beavers Carver and E. Lois Carver Educational Fund, which supports K-12 education with grants in the $1,000 to $10,000 range. There’s also the Waccamaw Community Trust, which provides general operating support, program and project support, and funding for equipment and supplies. Meanwhile, grants from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Donor-Advised Fund support civic innovators and economic opportunity.
Emergency grants are prioritized
Aside from its standard annual grant opportunities, WAC prioritizes disaster and emergency relief funding. Much of this funding has been going toward COVID-19 responses lately. However, disaster-related grants also provide support following natural disasters in Williamsburg County, in addition to Horry and Georgetown counties.
Overall, the majority of WAC grants are awarded through donor-advised funds, which do not accept unsolicited applications.
A new executive director
In 2021, WAC hired a new executive director with 30 years of leadership experience in the private and nonprofit sectors. Before joining WAC, Michael L. Mancuso was the president and CEO of the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Foundation. Mancuso’s diverse business skill-set, enthusiasm and leadership experience were cited as reasons for his hiring.
To learn more about what WAC has been funding lately, check out the news section of the foundation’s website. We also feature a full profile of the Waccamaw Community Foundation in our Southeast Funding Guide.