Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation
The Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1995 in South Carolina and converted from the sale of assets of Carolinas Hospital System to Quorum, Inc. The foundation received its IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt ruling in August 2001. Based in Florence, South Carolina, it operates as an independent foundation with a staff of 2 employees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$255.4M
+8.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.4M
+69.8% YoY
Grant Count
20
+5.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$418K
+61.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation aims to advance the general welfare of people in the Florence, South Carolina area and the surrounding region by providing economic support to qualified nonprofit organizations. The foundation supports a broad range of charitable purposes including medical, health, human services, education, arts, religion, civic affairs, and the conservation, preservation and promotion of cultural, historical and environmental resources programs.
Primary funding focus areas include higher education, community health, education nonprofits, and medical education initiatives.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants only to preselected charitable organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is concentrated in South Carolina. The foundation has also distributed grants to organizations in North Carolina, Georgia, and the District of Columbia. The foundation has supported 35 unique organizations across these regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $235,595,853
- Total Revenues: $6,512,367
- Total Expenses: $5,434,768
- Investment Income and Dividends: $4,983,296
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $255,368,624
- Annual Income: $32.5 million
- Total Giving: $8,354,904
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from $140.8 million in 2011 to $255.4 million in 2024
- Annual giving has grown from $2 million in 2020 to $4.9 million in 2023
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $255,368,624 | $235,595,853 | $212,301,887 |
| Revenue | $9,038,096 | $6,512,367 | $7,254,737 |
| Expenses | $7,610,943 | $5,434,768 | $6,394,454 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,790,936 | $9,810,829 | $11,012,444 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,925,391 | $5,852,763 | $6,781,984 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,893,281 | $9,642,954 | $9,877,869 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
108 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Medical University of South Carolina Foundation ($2,500,000), Florence County ($2,050,000), Clarendon County ($1,750,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN RED CROSS WASHINGTON, DC | SUPPORT FOR DISASTER AND HOME FIRE RESPONSE SERVICES PROGRAM | $50,000 |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA INDIAN WATERS COUNCIL COLUMBIA, SC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| CLARENDON COUNTY MANNING, SC | TURBEVILLE BRANCH LIBRARY | $1,750,000 |
| FLORENCE COUNTY FLORENCE, SC | LAKE CITY LAKE EXPANSION AND LIONS PARK FACILITIES; AND DOCUMENTARY | $2,050,000 |
| FLORENCE-DARLINGTON TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION FLORENCE, SC | FUNDING ALLIED HEALTH CURRICULUM SCHOLARSHIPS 2024-2025 | $100,000 |
| FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY EDUCATION FOUNDATION FLORENCE, SC | MEDICAL EDUCATION INITIATIVES | $125,000 |
| FRED H SEXTON AMERICAN LEGION POST 1 FLORENCE, SC | RENOVATIONS/ IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LEGION BASEBALL FIELD | $70,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COLUMBIA, SC | FUNDING FOR NEEDY FAMILY'S HOME | $160,000 |
| HELP4KIDS FLORENCE, SC | FOOD SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN IN FLORENCE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS | $5,000 |
| LAKE CITY CREATIVE ALLIANCE LAKE CITY, SC | SUPPORT FOR 2024 ARTFIELDS PROGRAM IN LAKE CITY, SC | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by 11 officers and trustees, including:
- C Edward Floyd MD
- John L Bruce JR DMD
- Mark W Buyck JR
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| C EDWARD FLOYD MD | CHAIRMAN/TRUSTEE | 6 | $31,200 |
| JOHN L BRUCE JR DMD | VICE CHAIRMAN/TRUSTEE | 6 | $31,200 |
| MARK W BUYCK JR | SECRETARY/TRUSTEE | 6 | $31,200 |
| GORDON B BAKER JR | TRUSTEE | 5 | $30,000 |
| COLEMAN FLOYD BUCKHOUSE MD | TRUSTEE | 5 | $30,000 |
| FRANK B LEE JR MD | TRUSTEE | 5 | $30,000 |
| HAIGH PORTER | TRUSTEE | 6 | $31,200 |
| HENRY SWINK | TRUSTEE | 6 | $31,200 |
| ALLISON TANNER | TRUSTEE | 6 | $30,000 |
| KIM TURNER | TRUSTEE | 5 | $30,000 |
| BRADLEY L CALLICOTT | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $218,502 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant commitments to medical education and workforce development in the Florence region. Recent major grants include substantial support for nursing scholarships and medical education initiatives at Francis Marion University, as well as support for food bank infrastructure improvements in the community.
Bruce-Lee Foundation gives $12.5 million to Francis Marion University | NewsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation fund?
The foundation aims to advance the general welfare of people in the Florence, South Carolina area and the surrounding region by providing economic support to qualified nonprofit organizations. The foundation supports a broad range of charitable purposes including medical, health, human services, education, arts, religion, civic affairs, and the conservation, preservation and promotion of cultural, historical and environmental resources programs. Primary funding focus areas include higher educat…
How do I apply for a grant from Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation?
The foundation makes grants only to preselected charitable organizations. **Grant Activity:** • Made 22 grants in 2023 • Made 27 grants in 2022 (highest grantmaking activity year on record) • Historical total: 66 grants totaling $15.9 million across available records • Individual grants have ranged from $2,000 to $6.3 million • Average award: $241,000 • Median grant: $32,000 • Typical awards: $1,500–$6,250,000 **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • Francis Marion University Education Foundation: $…
Where does Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation make grants?
Grantmaking is concentrated in South Carolina. The foundation has also distributed grants to organizations in North Carolina, Georgia, and the District of Columbia. The foundation has supported 35 unique organizations across these regions.
What size grants does Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation award?
In 2024, Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $8.4M — an average of about $418K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation's EIN?
Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-0902483. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Drs Bruce & Lee Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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