Open Foundations · South Carolina

Chester Foundation

Chester, South Carolina · EIN 576056810. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $730K across 13 grants in 2025, a median of $15K each.

All South Carolina foundations · All states

$730K
paid in 2025
13
grants paid
$15K
median grant
5%
to first-time recipients
$12.1M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
JOSEPH M MCELWEE JR
Address
P O BOX 832, CHESTER, SC, 297060832
Phone
8035819198
Email
Not stated in the filing
Form the request should take
THE ORGANIZATION ACCEPTS REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM 501 (C)3 ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CHURCHES LOCATED IN OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHESTER COUNTY, SC. THE ORGANIZATION WILL ALSO ACCEPT REQUESTS FROM EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS QUALIFYING AS 501(C)3 ORGANIZATIONS, PRIMARILY HIGHER EDUCATIONS, WHERE THE ORGANIZATIONS BENEFIT NEEDY INDIVIDULAS RESIDING IN CHESTER COUNTY, SC, WITH FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS OF ATTENDING THE ORGANIZATION. NO ASSISTANCE CAN BE PROVIDED, HOWEVER, FOR ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OF ANY OFFICERS OR TRUSTEES OF THE FOUNDATION. THE TRUSTEES REVIEW REQUESTS AND DETERMINE WHICH ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE SUPPOTED AND AT WHAT LEVEL.
Submission deadline
REQUESTS WILL BE CONSIDERED WHEN RECEIVED. THERE ARE NO DEADLINES.
Restrictions on awards
NONE, EXCEPT GEOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS SHOWN IN THE APPLICATIONS FORMAT.

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2025, IRS filing object id 202602049349100420. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2025 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

charity

Biggest grants in 2025

All 13 grants paid in 2025, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1The Academy for Teaching and LearniSC$440,560PUBLIC EDUCATION
2Clemson Univ FoundationSC$120,000PUBLIC EDUCATION
3Edgemoor Community Action AssocSC$39,000PUBLIC CHARITY
4Chester Area United WaySC$25,000PUBLIC CHARITY
5Christ Central Center of HopeSC$20,000PUBLIC CHARITY
6GraspSC$20,000PUBLIC CHARTY
7Hospice Community CareSC$15,000PUBLIC CHARITY
8Chester County Historical SocietySC$13,440PUBLIC CHARITY
9Chester County DssSC$10,000MUNICIPAL ENTITY
10Fort Lawn Community CenterSC$10,000PUBLIC CHARITY
11Purity Presbyterian ChSC$10,000CHURCH - FOOD PANTRY
12Palmetto CouncilSC$5,000PUBLIC CHARITY
13Great Falls Dwntwn AssocSC$2,000MUNICIPAL ENTITY

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
202022$650K
202120$646K
202225$793K
202322$720K
202420$729K
2025 (partial year)13$730K

Where the money went

Share of 2025 grant dollars by recipient state
South Carolina100%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

Ann M MccroreyTRUSTEE · 2025
Dwight W PearsonTRUSTEE · 2025
J Brian SingletonTRUSTEE · 2025
Janice T DahnkeTRUSTEE · 2025
Joseph M Mcelwee JrTRUSTEE · 2025
Ladson F StringfellowTRUSTEE · 2025
Linda SudolTRUSTEE · 2025

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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