The Ladies' Benevolent Society
The Ladies' Benevolent Society is a private foundation based in Charleston, South Carolina. Its 2024 filing reports grants to South Carolina organizations supporting medical and nursing care, senior services, disability programs, meals for people who are homebound, homelessness prevention, and services for human trafficking survivors.
The Ladies' Benevolent Society at a glance
In short: The Ladies' Benevolent Society gave $114K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $11K), mostly in South Carolina. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $113,571
- -16.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,357
- -16.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,536
- Total assets
- $2,117,624
- +4.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (100% 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 The Ladies' Benevolent Society
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Society does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 21408, Charleston, SC 29413
Phone: (843) 224-2133
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ladies' Benevolent Society funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic ($26K). Together the top 10 received $114K.
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 44 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ladies' Benevolent Society open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $114K (2024) to $140K (2022). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $114K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic Johns Island, SC | Public support for nursing and medical care for the needy | $26,000 |
| Respite Care Ministriesst Matthews Church Charleston, SC | Public Support for Senior Day Care | $18,250 |
| Disabilities Board of Charleston County North Charleston, SC | Development Programs for Children with Special Needs. | $16,250 |
| Windwood Farm Awendaw, SC | Public support for nursing and medical care for children | $16,000 |
| North Charleston Dental Outreach North Charleston, SC | Public support for nursing and medical care for the needy | $11,000 |
| Association for the Blind Charleston, SC | Public support for those living well with with partial vision | $6,071 |
| Charleston Area Senior Citizens Charleston, SC | Public support for nursing and medical care for senior citizens | $6,000 |
| East Cooper Meals on Wheels Mount Pleasant, SC | Public support to provide nutritious meals to people who are home-bound or unable to provide their own meals | $6,000 |
| ONE80 Place Charleston, SC | Public Support to Help End and Prevent Homelessness | $6,000 |
| The Formation Project North Charleston, SC | To Provide Services to Survivors of Human Trafficking. | $2,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ladies' Benevolent Society?
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 | $2,117,624 | $240,325 | $155,373 | $113,571 | 10 | $120,971 | $152,757 | $135,917 |
| 2023 | $2,032,672 | $138,205 | $176,040 | $135,903 | 10 | $142,878 | $57,761 | $124,629 |
| 2022 | $2,070,507 | $136,209 | $176,390 | $140,185 | 8 | $147,060 | $66,847 | $5,155 |
| 2021 | $2,110,688 | $251,313 | $163,776 | $123,576 | 8 | $133,681 | $209,185 | $136,131 |
| 2020 | $2,023,760 | $117,131 | $151,988 | $121,168 | 8 | — | $82,565 | $113,425 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ladies' Benevolent Society reported a distributable amount of $136K 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
No mission statement for the Society is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas including health care, services for seniors and children with special needs, meal delivery, homelessness prevention, and support for survivors of human trafficking. For example, North Charleston Dental Outreach describes its mission as providing dental care to people in need, and The Formation Project says it provides safety, stability, and connection to survivors of human trafficking.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Society awarded 10 grants totaling $113,571. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $26,000, with a median grant of $8,536.
The largest 2024 awards included $26,000 to Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic for nursing and medical care for people in need; $18,250 to Respite Care Ministries St. Matthews Church for senior day care; $16,250 to Disabilities Board of Charleston County for programs for children with special needs; and $16,000 to Windwood Farm for nursing and medical care for children. Other recipients included North Charleston Dental Outreach ($11,000), Association for the Blind ($6,071), Charleston Area Senior Citizens ($6,000), East Cooper Meals on Wheels ($6,000), One80 Place ($6,000), and The Formation Project ($2,000). East Cooper Meals on Wheels describes its mission as delivering meals to qualified individuals. Charleston Area Senior Citizens says it helps the underprivileged senior community in the Charleston area.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Louise Allen as superintendent, Andrea Woodfield as recording secretary, Wynona Crosby as correspondent secretary, Julie Armstrong as junior superintendent, and Dale Poulnot as treasurer.
The Ladies' Benevolent Society's 2024 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dale Poulnot
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louise Allen
Superintendent
Junior Superintendent → Superintendent, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wynona Crosby
Correspondent Secretary
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Woodfield
Recording Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie Armstrong
Junior Superintendent
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Lisabeth Metzler (2022–2023) — Superintendent
- Former: Natalie Bluestein (2023) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Dunlap Silver (2022) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Alonzo A. Burris (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Myron C. Harrington Jr. (2020–2021) — Superintendent
- Former: Richard C. Crosby (2020–2021) — Correspondent Secretary
- Former: Richard Silver (2020–2021) — Recording Secretary
- Former: Timothy Metzler (2020–2021) — Junior Superintendent
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Ladies' Benevolent Society
How much does The Ladies' Benevolent Society give each year?
The Ladies' Benevolent Society gave $114K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $136K across 10 grants.
What is The Ladies' Benevolent Society's typical grant size?
The Ladies' Benevolent Society's median grant in 2024 was $8,536, and its average grant was $11,357, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Ladies' Benevolent Society give grants?
The Ladies' Benevolent Society gives mostly in South Carolina: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, SC (4 grants) and North Charleston, SC (3 grants).
Does The Ladies' Benevolent Society give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Ladies' Benevolent Society's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Ladies' Benevolent Society's largest grantees?
The Ladies' Benevolent Society's largest 2024 grantees include Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic ($26,000), Respite Care Ministriesst Matthews Church ($18,250) and Disabilities Board of Charleston County ($16,250), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ladies' Benevolent Society?
The Ladies' Benevolent Society reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $121K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $136K (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 Ladies' Benevolent Society fund?
No mission statement for the Society is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas including health care, services for seniors and children with special needs, meal delivery, homelessness prevention, and support for survivors of human trafficking. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ladies' Benevolent Society?
The Society does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ladies' Benevolent Society's EIN?
The Ladies' Benevolent Society's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6001563. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Ladies' Benevolent Society accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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). The Ladies' Benevolent Society funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ladies-benevolent-society-morg_58ec44d44cc244d0b73da4a3538acf08
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_576001563_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ladies' Benevolent Society funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ladies-benevolent-society-morg_58ec44d44cc244d0b73da4a3538acf08},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Ladies' Benevolent Society'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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