Women in America are changing the face of philanthropy. With more money, increased control and influence over how it is spent, more women than ever are making philanthropic investments to help address and solve the problems of our time.

Meet local and dedicated women who make a difference through the power of collective giving

Since their founding in 2003, the members of Women in Philanthropy have built an endowment of more than $1 million. And, since 2006, over $600,000 in grants has been awarded to nonprofit organizations throughout Beaufort County.

The Women in Philanthropy Fund is an endowed giving circle fund that continues to grow in perpetuity. The fund is invested prudently and provides grants to help strengthen families and individuals in the areas of arts and culture, community development, education, the environment, and health and human services.

To learn more, review WIP's operating guidelines and read some of the frequently asked questions about Women in Philanthropy.

Elements of Women in Philanthropy

Grantmaking

The grantmaking focus of Women in Philanthropy is strengthening families and individuals in the areas of arts and culture, community development, education, the environment, health, and human services. With this in mind, the advisory committee will establish the criteria for each cycle of funding for grant-seeking nonprofit organizations. In 2020, Women in Philanthropy awarded $82,800 in grants for “Providing Enrichment and Readiness for At-Risk Children." You can find a complete history of WIP grantmaking here.

Typically, WIP announces grant recipients at its annual Spring Luncheon. This year, due to the pandemic, the organization was unable to hold that event. So in October, the WIP advisory board filmed a virtual Annual Meeting to take the place of both the Spring and Fall Luncheons for 2020. During that event, the 2019 grant recipients were formally presented. Each recipient created a short presentation of their 2019-2020 grant projects. You can see the presentations here.

Membership

If you are interested in becoming a member of Women in Philanthropy, please take a moment to read our membership brochure. You may use the form in the brochure to send in your membership contribution.

The form may be mailed to us at Community Foundation of the Lowcountry - WIP, P.O. Box 23019
Hilton Head Island, SC 29925. Or, it can be scanned and emailed to Debbie Cahoon at dcahoon@cf-lowcountry.org.

Newsletters

Here is a sampling of our most current newsletters.

Annual Contribution

For ease and convenience, you may make your gift/charitable contribution online via credit card. To donate to Women in Philanthropy, click here.

If you prefer to mail a check, you may send it to:

Community Foundation of the Lowcountry - WIP, P.O. Box 23019
Hilton Head Island, SC 29925

*Please include "WIP Membership" in the memo line of your check.

If you'd like to make a gift of stock or IRA, call 843-681-9100.

WIP Events

WIP offers multiple events throughout the year for members and their guests, including spring and fall luncheons. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, neither luncheon was held in 2020. In their place, the WIP advisory board held a virtual annual meeting to highlight previous-year grant successes, as well as grantmaking themes for the new year - and much more. You can watch the event here.



Advisory Board Members

Elizabeth Loda
Chair

Lesley Gilbert
Vice Chair, Education Chair

Kathleen Bateson
Immediate Past Chair, Finance Chair

Kaye Black
Membership Chair

Betty Irby
Governance Chair

Martha Anne McDonald
Membership Chair

Shirley "Peaches" Peterson
Events Chair

Andi Purple
Grants Chair

Join Us!

For more details on membership and how you can get involved, contact Debbie Cahoon at 843.681.9100.

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