Community Leadership

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In addition to giving grant money, Coastal Community Foundation has historically taken the "first step" in giving time and advice when community issues have presented themselves. Our aim is to encourage promising initiatives by advocating community-based processes and serving as a neutral convener. This allows us to bolster efforts that create promising new charitable organizations and independent nonprofits that respond to a need or an opportunity in our region.

When we recognize an initiative opportunity, or when organizations propose an initiative to the Foundation, staff takes the request to the Community Services Committee. Its measure of significance to the community, consistency with our grantmaking approach and potential for the Foundation to add distinct value are a few of the things considered when accepting initiatives.

A few of our recent initiatives include:

REGIONAL EXPANSION, BEAUFORT
Our commitment to encouraging vibrant communities through philanthropy in all of coastal Carolina has led us to open our first regional office in Beaufort. Our staff and Board, generous donors, and passionate nonprofits have joined forces to realize greater giving in our community and to invest in greater possibilities for our future.

SAFE FAMILIES INITIATIVE, GEORGETOWN
South Carolina is ranked as the sixth worst state in the nation for domestic violence cases, and we are partnering with concerned citizens in Georgetown who are determined to see that ranking reversed. Community advocates, judges and law enforcement are creating a "one-stop shop" to provide law enforcement, criminal prosecution and health services in the same building as nonprofit agencies offering social services, counseling and other community services.

VOLUNTEER LAUNCHING COMMITTEE, CHARLESTON
Education-minded citizens who recognize the importance of reading as the foundational skill of education are working in partnership with the Foundation to launch a community literacy program in Charleston County Schools. This grassroots effort to strengthen youth literacy will introduce expert training and support in schools through a volunteer network. An innovative approach to poor statistics, this initiative is seeking to target illiteracy at its root and overcome its challenges.