The Chester Foundation
The Chester Foundation is a private foundation based in Chester, South Carolina. Its filing says it considers assistance requests from eligible organizations located in or serving Chester County, including certain educational organizations that benefit residents with financial need.
The Chester Foundation at a glance
In short: The Chester Foundation gave $730K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $56K), mostly in South Carolina. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $730,000
- +0.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- -35.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $56,154
- +54.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $12,130,466
- +0.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Chester Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing says requests are accepted from eligible organizations and that trustees review them and determine which organizations will be supported and at what level. Requests may be submitted in any form or with any materials; the filing provides no more specific submission instructions. The foundation does not provide assistance to family members of its officers or trustees. Awards are subject to the geographic parameters described in the filing.
- Review Cycle
- Requests are considered when received; there are no deadlines.
- Deadline
- Requests are considered when received; there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Joseph M Mcelwee Jr
Mailing address: P O Box 832, Chester, SC 29706-0832
Phone: (803) 581-9198
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Chester Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Academy for Teaching and Learni ($441K). Together the top 10 received $713K.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 100 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing limits eligible requests to organizations located in or serving Chester County, South Carolina, with a separate provision for qualifying educational organizations that benefit needy Chester County residents. All 2025 grant dollars were reported for recipients in South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Chester Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $58K. How we count
Medians: $39K first-time, $14K repeat.
- 92% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $646K (2021) to $793K (2022). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $730K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Academy for Teaching and Learni Chester, SC | Public Education | $440,560 |
| Clemson Univ Foundation Clemson, SC | Public Education | $120,000 |
| Edgemoor Community Action Assoc Edgemoor, SC | Public Charity | $39,000 |
| Chester Area United Way Chester, SC | Public Charity | $25,000 |
| Christ Central Center of Hope Chester, SC | Public Charity | $20,000 |
| Grasp Great Falls, SC | Public Charty | $20,000 |
| Hospice Community Care Rock Hill, SC | Public Charity | $15,000 |
| Chester County Historical Society Chester, SC | Public Charity | $13,440 |
| Chester County DSS Chester, SC | Municipal Entity | $10,000 |
| Fort Lawn Community Center Fort Lawn, SC | Public Charity | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chester Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,130,466 | $837,140 | $826,946 | $730,000 | 13 | $730,000 | $492,376 | $788,044 |
| 2024 | $12,120,272 | $949,106 | $837,381 | $728,750 | 20 | $728,750 | $452,421 | $747,492 |
| 2023 | $12,008,547 | $500,112 | $805,862 | $720,000 | 22 | $720,000 | $437,660 | $692,241 |
| 2022 | $12,314,297 | $926,578 | $866,750 | $792,600 | 25 | $792,600 | $447,683 | $711,683 |
| 2021 | $12,255,394 | $438,687 | $743,945 | $646,000 | 20 | $646,000 | $426,039 | $728,020 |
| 2020 | $12,560,652 | $1,722,614 | $718,791 | $650,500 | 22 | — | $436,204 | $650,990 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chester Foundation reported a distributable amount of $788K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for The Chester Foundation is provided. Its 2025 filing describes eligible applicants as 501(c)(3) organizations, governmental organizations, and churches located in or serving Chester County, South Carolina. It also accepts requests from qualifying 501(c)(3) educational organizations, primarily higher-education organizations, when they benefit needy Chester County residents facing financial requirements to attend.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate some of the work represented among the foundation’s awards. Fort Lawn Community Center says its purpose is to provide educational, cultural, health, wellness, and humane services to Fort Lawn and surrounding communities. Palmetto Council describes itself as a Boy Scouts of America affiliate serving young people ages 5–21 and developing values and life skills across several South Carolina counties, including Chester.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $730,000. Awards ranged from $2,000 to $440,560, with a median grant of $15,000.
The largest reported awards included $440,560 to The Academy for Teaching and Learning for public education and $120,000 to Clemson University Foundation for public education. Other listed grants included $39,000 to Edgemoor Community Action Association, $25,000 to Chester Area United Way, and $20,000 each to Christ Central Center of Hope and GRASP. Fort Lawn Community Center received $10,000, and Palmetto Council received $5,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists seven trustees: Ladson F Stringfellow, Joseph M McElwee Jr, Linda Sudol, Janice T Dahnke, Ann M McCrorey, Dwight W Pearson, and J Brian Singleton.
The Chester Foundation's 2025 filing lists 7 officers; all 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dwight W. Pearson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $3K (2025)
J. Brian Singleton
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Janice T. Dahnke
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$2K (2020) → $8K (2025)
Joseph M. McElwee Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Ladson F. Stringfellow
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Ann M. McCrorey
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
$4K (2023) → $3K (2025)
Linda Sudol
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
$9K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robert W. Moser (2020–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $9K, to Linda Sudol (Trustee). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Chester Foundation
How much does The Chester Foundation give each year?
The Chester Foundation gave $730K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $729K across 20 grants.
What is The Chester Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chester Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $56,154, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chester Foundation that year got $39K on average.
Where does The Chester Foundation give grants?
The Chester Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chester, SC (5 grants) and Great Falls, SC (2 grants).
Does The Chester Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The Chester Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Charity" (7 grants).
Who are The Chester Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chester Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Academy for Teaching and Learni ($440,560), Clemson Univ Foundation ($120,000) and Edgemoor Community Action Assoc ($39,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chester Foundation?
The Chester Foundation reported $12.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $730K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $788K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Chester Foundation fund?
No mission statement for The Chester Foundation is provided. Its 2025 filing describes eligible applicants as 501(c)(3) organizations, governmental organizations, and churches located in or serving Chester County, South Carolina. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chester Foundation?
The filing says requests are accepted from eligible organizations and that trustees review them and determine which organizations will be supported and at what level. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chester Foundation's EIN?
The Chester Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6056810. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chester Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chester-foundation-morg_6d271abb15f644109ae17f42e96e0fb7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_576056810_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chester Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chester-foundation-morg_6d271abb15f644109ae17f42e96e0fb7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 The Chester 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.
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