The Abney Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 57-6019445 · since 1959abneyfoundation.org·South Carolina·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.9M
Annual giving, 2024 tax year
From the Form 990-PF filing
$5,000 to $125k
Grant range
From grants in the 990-PF filings
$15,000
Typical grant (median)
51 grants in the latest filing
Open to applications
Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

  • If your organisation is a 501(c)(3) serving the citizens of South Carolina and your work fits higher education, health, social service or cultural affairs, the foundation's stated priorities match, with higher education given the highest priority.
  • Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $5,000 and $125,000, half are $15,000 or less, and the median is $15,000, so a request in that region is realistic, although its largest grant was $400,000.
  • Send a brief Letter of Intent first to learn whether your idea is potentially fundable, since full proposals are due by 4:00 PM on the first Monday in November, and frame the request around a specific project or programme because the foundation generally does not fund operating expenses.
  • In its filing, 84% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in the earlier filings, and it may contact applicants for a visit if their application is accepted for consideration.
  • Do not apply if you are an individual, if you are not a 501(c)(3), or if you are seeking general operating costs.

Overview

The Abney Foundation is a US private foundation based in Anderson, SC.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Abney Foundation makes grants to charitable organisations recognised under IRS code 501(c)(3), not to individuals. Its primary focus is higher education, which receives most of its funding; the remaining annual funding generally supports local organisations. It makes grants to fund scholarship endowments administered by colleges and universities. It also supports innovative and creative projects and programmes that respond to changing community needs in health, social service, education and cultural affairs. Its mission is to aid organisations operated exclusively for educational, religious, charitable, scientific and literary purposes. Applicants should be serving the citizens of South Carolina. The foundation generally does not fund requests for operating expenses.

Themes

  • Higher education
  • Health
  • Social service
  • Cultural affairs

Geographic Focus

South Carolina.

What They Don't Fund

  • Requests for operating expenses generally

How to apply

Applicants may submit a brief Letter of Intent before a proposal to find out whether their ideas are potentially fundable.

Deadlines: Grant proposals are due by 4:00 PM on the first Monday in November.

Application success factors

  • Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 84% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
  • Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 134 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

  • It places the highest priority on higher education.
  • It favours innovative and creative projects and programmes responsive to changing community needs in health, social service, education and cultural affairs.
  • It may contact applicants for a visit if their application is accepted for consideration.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

South Carolina100%
North Carolina<1%
  • The largest single recipient received 12% of grant dollars to organisations.
  • In tax year 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to organisations The Abney Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
  • No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
  • <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

51 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $15,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 51 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$2.5k–$5k2%
$5k–$10k14%
$10k–$25k49%
$25k–$50k8%
$50k–$100k6%
$100k–$250k22%

Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

  • Tri-County · Endowment scholarship
    $200,0002024 tax year
  • Second Chance Church · General support
    $150,0002024 tax year
  • Anderson University · Scholarship endowment
    $150,0002024 tax year
  • Presbyterian College · Scholarship endownment
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • The Citadel · Scholarship endowment
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • Claflin University · Scholarship endowment
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • Clemson University · Scholarship endowment
    $100,0002024 tax year
  • Converse University · Scholarship endowment
    $100,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

  • James E Sheriff — Trustee
  • John T Meehan MD — Chair
  • John R Fulp III — Trustee
  • Lebrena F Campbell — Trustee
  • Bonnie K Nash — Secretary / Treasurer
  • Carl T Edwards — Ed Emeritus
  • Lisa C Mcwherter — Vice Chair
  • J Kirkman Moorhead — Trustee

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

YearTotal expensesGrants paidAssetsFiling document
2022 tax year$3,048,638$2,270,000$42,947,931Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year$2,798,464$2,031,350$47,080,120Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year$2,824,055$1,935,500$51,607,473Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Sources

Other sources

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