Post and Courier Foundation
The Post and Courier Foundation is a private foundation based in Charleston, South Carolina, established in 1952. Its stated mission is to help enhance the quality of life in the Lowcountry. It supports qualified nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in the Greater Charleston area and identifies five program areas: civic, conservation/preservation, cultural/arts, education, and health/welfare.
Post and Courier Foundation at a glance
In short: Post and Courier Foundation gave $784K across 60 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), mostly in South Carolina. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $783,720
- -9.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 60
- +5.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $13,062
- -14.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,994,323
- +11.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (16 of 60, 2024)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Post and Courier Foundation
- How to Apply
-
General Fund applications are filed online. The Foundation accepts one request per organization per yearly grant cycle. Applicants may not be individuals, businesses, or political or lobbying organizations; requests must serve the public good in one of the Foundation’s five program areas. The Foundation says it will not fund fundraising events or operating deficits. Its filing also says it will not fund requests from agencies already partnering with Trident United Way. The Good Cheer Fund is not open to applicants; the filing identifies seven nonprofits supported through that fund.
- Review Cycle
- General Fund applications are accepted from April 1 through the last Friday in July.
- Deadline
- General Fund applications are accepted from April 1 through the last Friday in July.
- Contact
Application contact: The Good Cheer Fund
Mailing address: 90 Alexander Street, Charleston, SC 29403
Phone: (843) 937-5605
Email: foundation@postandcourier.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Post and Courier Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Lowcountry Food Bank ($99K). Together the top 10 received $493K.
Grant Size Distribution
304 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 277 grants of 304 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s website says it prefers to fund organizations in the Lowcountry and generally does not prefer agencies outside the Lowcountry, with exceptions in South Carolina where its parent company has businesses: Aiken, Greenville, and Columbia. Its 2024 filing describes eligible applicants as located in the Lowcountry or in the area where the newspaper operates, naming Aiken, Georgetown, and Kingstree. In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to South Carolina recipients; 1% each went to California and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 60 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Post and Courier Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 60 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 551% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $784K (2024) to $4.8M (2022). In 2024 it made 60 grants totaling $784K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lowcountry Food Bank Charleston, SC | General Support | $99,378 |
| Star Gospel Mission Charleston, SC | Digital Equity & Inclusion Initiative | $85,827 |
| East Cooper Community Outreach Mount Pleasant, SC | General Support | $63,241 |
| One-Eighty Place Charleston, SC | General Support | $63,241 |
| Operation Home North Charleston, SC | General Support | $59,689 |
| Carolina Youth Development Center North Charleston, SC | Annual operating fund/good cheer fund for clothes, school supplies, and christmas presents | $40,655 |
| Association for the Blind Charleston, SC | Provide food, clothing, etc. For the visually impaired during christmas | $27,103 |
| Lowcountry Land Trust Charleston, SC | General Support | $25,000 |
| Open Space Institute Land Trust Charleston, SC | General Support | $15,000 |
| Catholic Charities Charleston, SC | Provide Hot Meals, Clothing & Financials | $13,552 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,994,323 | $1,112,525 | $1,464,181 | $783,720 | 60 | $1,412,106 | $286,383 | $256,149 |
| 2023 | $4,473,881 | $1,005,925 | $1,429,508 | $867,221 | 57 | $902,710 | $60,003 | $237,883 |
| 2022 | $4,806,091 | $662,720 | $4,860,844 | $4,776,624 | 61 | $895,866 | $147,276 | $214,205 |
| 2021 | $9,004,215 | $996,169 | $993,380 | $871,638 | 60 | $872,337 | $312,880 | $536,062 |
| 2020 | $9,001,426 | $836,304 | $1,982,580 | $1,912,206 | 66 | — | $187,696 | $479,740 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Post and Courier Foundation reported a distributable amount of $256K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to help enhance the quality of life in the Lowcountry community. Its grant program covers civic, conservation/preservation, cultural/arts, education, and health/welfare causes. The Foundation says eligible organizations must not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, color, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, or disability.
Its 2024 grants included support for food access, homelessness services, and other community needs. An individual recipient describes its mission as pursuing “equitable, dignified and consistent access to food.” Star Gospel Mission says it provides resources to people experiencing hardship, including men facing homelessness and Lowcountry families needing help with utilities, food, and urgent household needs. One-Eighty Place says it works to end and prevent homelessness. East Cooper Community Outreach says it helps neighbors navigate life’s challenges through services including food, clothing, medical and dental care, and financial assistance.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 60 grants totaling $783,720. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $99,378, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest awards were $99,378 to an individual recipient for general support; $85,827 to Star Gospel Mission for a digital equity and inclusion initiative; $63,241 each to East Cooper Community Outreach and One-Eighty Place for general support; and $59,689 to Operation Home for general support. Other sizable awards included $40,655 to Carolina Youth Development Center and $27,103 to Association for the Blind.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Pierre Manigault as president, Patricia B. Manigault as vice president, Heidi L. Herrington as secretary, Laurence Fritz as treasurer, and Kerri Forrest as a member.
Post and Courier Foundation is led by Pierre Manigault, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Pierre Manigault
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heidi L. Herrington
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$31K (2023) → $31K (2024)
Kerri Forrest
Member
Board Member → Member, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $5K (2024)
Laurence Fritz
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia B. Manigault
Vice President
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Joseph I. Waring (2020–2022) — Treasurer · Filing note: Term ended
- Former: Rebecca Herres (2020–2022) — President · Filing note: Term ended
- Former: Callie Smith (2022) — Secretary · Filing note: Term ended
- Former: Edward M. Gilbreth (2022) — Board Member · Filing note: Term ended
- Former: John P. Barnwell (2022) — 2nd Vice President · Filing note: Term ended
- Former: Maryanna K. Smith (2020–2021) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $31K, to Heidi L Herrington (Secretary). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Post and Courier Foundation
How much does Post and Courier Foundation give each year?
Post and Courier Foundation gave $784K across 60 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $867K across 57 grants.
What is Post and Courier Foundation's typical grant size?
Post and Courier Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $13,062, across 60 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Post and Courier Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does Post and Courier Foundation give grants?
Post and Courier Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, SC (35 grants), North Charleston, SC (7 grants), Mount Pleasant, SC (4 grants) and Summerville, SC (3 grants).
Does Post and Courier Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 82% of Post and Courier Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (49 of 60) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (3 grants).
Who are Post and Courier Foundation's largest grantees?
Post and Courier Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Lowcountry Food Bank ($99,378), Star Gospel Mission ($85,827) and East Cooper Community Outreach ($63,241), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Post and Courier Foundation?
Post and Courier Foundation reported $5.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $256K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Post and Courier Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to help enhance the quality of life in the Lowcountry community. Its grant program covers civic, conservation/preservation, cultural/arts, education, and health/welfare causes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Post and Courier Foundation?
General Fund applications are filed online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Post and Courier Foundation's EIN?
Post and Courier Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6020356. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Post and Courier Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/post-and-courier-foundation-morg_1ab38e7a5732426f8c147b7d95a9f113
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_576020356_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Post and Courier Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/post-and-courier-foundation-morg_1ab38e7a5732426f8c147b7d95a9f113},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Post and Courier Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Post and Courier Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?