South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees
South Carolina First Steps to is a public charity based in Columbia, South Carolina, formed in 1999. Its stated mission is to help children enter kindergarten emotionally, physically, and intellectually ready for success in school and life. It offers services for children from birth to age five through a statewide local partnership network and administers the state’s 4K program.
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees at a glance
In short: South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees gave $55.6M across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $1.2M), mostly in South Carolina. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $55,614,972
- +4.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,183,297
- +4.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $396,153
- Total assets
- $34,656,167
- -0.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 47, 2025)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees
- Contact
Mailing address: 636 Rosewood Drive, Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 734-0479
Website: https://scfirststeps.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Private 4K Child Care Centers ($32.4M). Together the top 10 received $41.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
238 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 92 grants of 238 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s filing describes services offered across South Carolina. All reported grant dollars in filing year 2025 went to recipients in South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 47 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $28.9M (2019) to $55.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $55.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Private 4K Child Care Centers Various, SC | Approved Authorizati | $32,397,609 |
| Greenville County First Steps Partn Greenville, SC | General Support | $1,346,772 |
| Richland County First Steps Partner Columbia, SC | General Support | $1,230,998 |
| York County First Steps Partnership Rock Hill, SC | General Support | $1,184,739 |
| Lexington County First Steps Partne Lexington, SC | General Support | $1,178,033 |
| Spartanburg County First Steps Part Spartanburg, SC | General Support | $1,141,787 |
| Berkeley County First Steps Partner Summerville, SC | General Support | $979,024 |
| Charleston County First Steps Partn N Charleston, SC | General Support | $977,422 |
| Horry County First Steps Partnershi Conway, SC | General Support | $779,881 |
| Florence County First Steps Partner Florence, SC | General Support | $646,647 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,656,167 | $72,391,847 | $72,706,141 | $55,614,972 | 47 | $110,925 |
| 2024 | $34,794,688 | $66,207,541 | $69,094,204 | $53,013,193 | 47 | $45,146 |
| 2023 | $37,189,070 | $57,127,894 | $55,319,536 | $42,817,924 | 48 | $79,004 |
| 2022 | $32,777,753 | $62,957,264 | $51,854,091 | $40,758,998 | 48 | $51,178 |
| 2021 | $20,496,794 | $45,278,924 | $37,665,399 | $29,452,385 | 48 | $47,745 |
| 2020 | $12,313,458 | $37,132,014 | $40,175,669 | $33,173,421 | 48 | $199,470 |
| 2019 | $17,853,288 | $36,397,435 | $36,644,235 | $28,868,631 | 47 | $345,195 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its goals include supporting parents and families, promoting preschool children’s development, reducing children’s risks for physical, developmental, and learning problems, and supporting children’s health and readiness for school. Its filing describes the 4K program as a public-private service model for eligible children in approved private child care centers, charter schools, or private schools. The organization provides training and oversight for almost 400 4K sites, according to its 2024 filing.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, South Carolina First Steps to reported 47 grants totaling $55,614,972. Grants ranged from $226,559 to $32,397,609, with a median grant of $396,153. The largest listed grant was $32,397,609 to Private 4K Child Care Centers (various, SC). Other large grants included $1,346,772 to Greenville County First Steps Partnership, $1,230,998 to Richland County First Steps Partnership, and $1,184,739 to York County First Steps Partnership. The listed purposes for those three county partnerships were general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mark Barnes as Director-Adm, Martha Strickland as 4K State Dir, Betty Gardner as Direct-Grant, David O’Kelly as Chief Finan, Derek Cromwell as Chief Partne, and Tracy Ann Vandervliet as Exec Dir-Eff. It also lists Terry Alexander as House Repres, Robert Bank as DMH-Acting D, Jacque Curtin as Business Com, and Mary Lynne Diggs as Head Start C.
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's 2025 filing lists 31 officers; 6 of 31 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mark Barnes
Director-Adm
Director of → Director-Adm, 2020
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$95K (2019) → $123K (2025)
Martha Strickland
4k State Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$77K (2019) → $109K (2025)
Michael Leach
Dss & Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edward Simmer
Dhec Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Kerr
Dhhs Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Constance Holloway
Ddsn & Director
Ddsn & Dir-Ap → Ddsn & Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Derek Cromwell
Chief Partne
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$40K (2022) → $97K (2025)
Betty Gardner
Direct-Grant
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$90K (2024) → $101K (2025)
David O'Kelly
Chief Finan
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$110K (2024) → $100K (2025)
Tracy Ann Vandervliet
Executive Dir-
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$24K (2025)
Amy Williams
Medical Prov
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gerald Malloy
Senate
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greg Hembree
Senate
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Lynne Diggs
Head Start C
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger Pryor Jr.
Child Care P
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sue Williams
Children's T
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Morley
Governor Des
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janie Neeley
Parent - You
Parent of Yo → Parent - You, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jesica Mackey
Parent-Term
Parent - You → Parent-Term-, 2024
Parent-Term- → Parent-Term, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Hayes
Early Childh
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacque Curtin
Business Com
Appointed → Business Com, 2023
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Williams
Medical Prov
Med Provider → Medical Prov, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jack McBride
Business Co
Bus Comm-App → Business Co, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Ferguson
Sup Educ Des
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Erickson
House Representative
House Rep-Ap → House Representative, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terry Alexander
House Representative
House - App → House Representative, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wes Wooten
Child Care P
Child Car-Ap → Child Care P, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Anne Scott
Ear Educato
Ear Educ-Ap → Ear Educato, 2025
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Bank
Dmh-Acting D
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Lisk
Local Pship
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy Priester
Local Pship
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Georgia Mjartan (2019–2024) — Executive Director Thr
- Former: David Mathis (2019–2023) — Super-Edu De
- Former: Jennifer McConnell (2019–2023) — Child Care P
- Former: Jerry Govan (2019–2023) — House Representative
- Former: Shelley Canright (2019–2023) — Early Childh
- Former: Michelle Fry (2021–2023) — Ddsn Director
- Former: Nicole Wynkoop (2021–2023) — Parent - You
- Former: Paula Calhoon (2022–2023) — House Representative
- Former: Ellen Weaver (2023) — Sup Educ-App
- Former: Robert Black (2023) — Dmh & Dir-App
- Former: Alexia Newman (2019–2022) — Medical & Chil
- Former: Debbie Robertson (2019–2022) — Chief Partne
- Former: Rita Allison (2019–2022) — House - Left
- Former: Timothy Holt (2019–2022) — Business Com
- Former: Walter Fleming Jr. (2019–2022) — Bus Comm-Lef
- Former: Mary Poole (2019–2020) — Ddsn & Director
- Former: Marshall Taylor (2020) — Dhec & Acting
- Former: Angel Johnson-Brebner (2019) — Parent of Yo
- Former: Joshua Baker (2019) — Dhhs & Director
- Former: Julie Hussey (2019) — Parent of Yo
- Former: Rick Toomey (2019) — Dhec & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $123K, to Mark Barnes (Director-ADM). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees
How much does South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees give each year?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees gave $55.6M across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $53.0M across 47 grants.
What is South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's typical grant size?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's median grant in 2025 was $396,153, and its average grant was $1,183,297, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees give grants?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees gives mostly in South Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Summerville, SC (2 grants).
Does South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees give general operating support?
Yes: 98% of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (46 of 47) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's largest grantees?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's largest 2025 grantees include Private 4K Child Care Centers ($32,397,609), Greenville County First Steps Partn ($1,346,772) and Richland County First Steps Partner ($1,230,998), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees reported $34.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $72.4M.
What does South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees fund?
The organization states that its goals include supporting parents and families, promoting preschool children’s development, reducing children’s risks for physical, developmental, and learning problems, and supporting children’s health and readiness for school. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check scfirststeps.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's EIN?
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1087576. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 29, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
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