The School Foundation Inc logo

The School Foundation Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Florence, SC EIN: 57-1092759 Website

The School Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Florence, South Carolina. It promotes educational excellence in Florence 1 Schools through grants for innovative learning and initiatives intended to prepare students for success.

The School Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: The School Foundation Inc gave $168K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $17K), mostly in South Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$168,479
+17.7% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
10
+66.7% vs 2024
Average grant
$16,848
-29.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$13,755
Total assets
$2,820,050
+6.4% vs 2024
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.

How to apply to The School Foundation Inc

Review Cycle
March 27, 2026, for the 2026–2027 grant cycle (past).
Deadline
March 27, 2026, for the 2026–2027 grant cycle (past).
Contact

Mailing address: 320 West Cheves Street 175, Florence, SC 29501
Phone: (843) 662-9996
Website: https://theschoolfoundation.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The School Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 8 recipients in 2025

All Florence One Schools: $56K across 2 grantsAll Florence One Schools$56K · 2 grantsWilson High School Band: $35KWilson High School Band$35KRoyall Elementary School: $25KRoyall Elementary School$25KBrockington Elementary School: $24K across 2 grantsBrockington Elementary School$24K · 2 grantsAdvantage Academy: $10KAdvantage Academy$10KDewey L Carter Elementary School: $6KDewey L Carter ElementarySchool$6KRN Beck Child Development Center: $6KRN Beck Child DevelopmentCenter$6KChild Development Center at Woods Road: $6KChild Development Center atWoods Road$6K

The largest 2025 recipient was All Florence One Schools ($56K across 2 grants). Together the top 8 received $168K.

Grant Size Distribution

40 grants across all recorded years

38<$50K2$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 40 (95%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation is based in Florence, South Carolina. The 2025 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in South Carolina; the listed recipients are in Florence. The foundation’s website identifies Florence 1 Schools as the recipient of its 2025–2026 grants.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.

Cities

Florence

How The School Foundation Inc gives

  • Giving grew 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K0 grants2020 13 grants2021 6 grants2022 5 grants2023 6 grants2024 10 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2022) to $176K (2023). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $168K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Wilson High School Band Florence, SCThe Ledger Line Initiative$35,000
All Florence One Schools Florence, SCBlue Zone$30,500
Royall Elementary School Florence, SCMaking Sense of the School Day$25,000
All Florence One Schools Florence, SCMaking Sense of the School Day$25,000
Brockington Elementary School Florence, SCRhythms of the palmetto grooving through sc's dance history$17,510
Advantage Academy Florence, SCEmpowering students - life skills experience through laundromat access$10,000
Dewey L Carter Elementary School Florence, SCSensory Sparks$6,368
RN Beck Child Development Center Florence, SCSensory Sparks$6,367
Child Development Center at Woods Road Florence, SCSensory Sparks$6,367
Brockington Elementary School Florence, SCSensory Sparks$6,367
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$2,820,050$954,481$343,657$168,47910$721,291
2024$2,651,297$348,704$324,720$143,1486$21,184
2023$2,351,569$212,850$345,869$175,9405$27,990
2022$2,232,206$526,211$294,717$130,0006$229,102
2021$2,736,798$333,494$365,451$170,12813$171,087
2020$2,352,549$198,479$112,709——$134,946

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The mission stated by the foundation is to promote educational excellence in Florence 1 Schools through grants for innovative learning and high-impact initiatives designed to prepare all students for success. Its website also says it seeks to foster inclusion and diversity and supports organizations with similar goals.

Recent funded projects include music education and mentorship, sensory resources and early literacy materials, dance education, and a district-wide employee and student well-being initiative. The 2025 filing lists grants to Florence-area schools and education organizations, including Wilson High School Band, Royall Elementary School, Brockington Elementary School, Advantage Academy, and All Florence One Schools.

Grantmaking

The 2025 filing reports 10 grants totaling $168,479. Individual awards ranged from $6,367 to $35,000, with a median of $13,755. The foundation’s website reports that it distributed $168,478.92 to F1S for the 2025–2026 school year.

Among the largest 2025 filing-year awards were $35,000 to Wilson High School Band for the Ledger Line Initiative; $30,500 to All Florence One Schools for Blue Zone; $25,000 each to Royall Elementary School and All Florence One Schools for Making Sense of the School Day; and $17,510 to Brockington Elementary School for Rhythms of the Palmetto. The website describes Making SENSE of the School Day as including a sensory room at Royall and sensory items for district occupational therapists. It describes Sensory Sparks as providing multisensory phonics materials to F1S child development programs.

The foundation says grant requests are evaluated by a board subcommittee and then voted on by the full board. Its website posted an application deadline of March 27, 2026, for 2026–2027 grants; that deadline has passed.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Mindy Taylor as chairman, Meggie Daniel as vice chairman, Courtney Cribb as treasurer, Marion Ford as secretary, and Debbie Hyler as executive director. Board members listed are Trish Caulder, Annie Brown, Jammie McDonald, Ryan White, and Carolyn Pearce.

The School Foundation Inc is led by Debbie Hyler, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 28 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Debbie Hyler

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $74K (2020) → $79K (2025)

  • Mindy Taylor

    Chairman

    Board Member → Chairman, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Annie Brown

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carlos Washington

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Courtney Cribb

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ed A. Love

    Board Member

    Vice Chairman → Board Member, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Sheehy

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jean Leatherman

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeff Helton

    Board Member

    Chairman → Board Member, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Judith Kammer

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marion Ford

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Porter Stewart

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Richard O-Malley

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Lemaster

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tammy Pawloski

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Trish Caulder

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chaquez Macall

    Board Member

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Heather Page

    Board Member

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joy Higgs

    Board Member

    On filings since 2021

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Meggie Daniel

    Vice Chairman

    Board Member → Vice Chairman, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    15 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Carolyn Pearce

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Etroy Green

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jammie McDonald

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kippie Brown

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Melissa Scott

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ryan White

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Meagan Johnson

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Zachary Bennett

    Board Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (17)
  • Former: Haley Taylor (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Justin Pearson (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Zach Bennett (2024) — Board Member
  • Former: Brent Tiller (2020–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Jeff Stevens (2020–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Sarah Duby (2021–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Bobbie Chowdhary (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Brooke Evans (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Hugh Pressley (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Charlie Jordan (2020–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Meggie Baker (2020–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Ashley Dawkins (2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Elizabeth Kahn (2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Katie Wilcox (2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Keisha Johnson (2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Nichole Scipio (2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Tommy Pruitt (2020) — Board Member

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

Debbie Hyler — Executive Director: $79KDebbie HylerExecutive Director$79K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $79K, to Debbie Hyler (Executive Director).

Frequently asked questions about The School Foundation Inc

How much does The School Foundation Inc give each year?

The School Foundation Inc gave $168K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $143K across 6 grants.

What is The School Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

The School Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $13,755, and its average grant was $16,848, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does The School Foundation Inc give grants?

The School Foundation Inc 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 Florence, SC (10 grants).

Does The School Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The School Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Sensory Sparks" (4 grants).

Who are The School Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

The School Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include All Florence One Schools ($55,500 across 2 grants), Wilson High School Band ($35,000) and Royall Elementary School ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The School Foundation Inc?

The School Foundation Inc reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $954K.

What does The School Foundation Inc fund?

The mission stated by the foundation is to promote educational excellence in Florence 1 Schools through grants for innovative learning and high-impact initiatives designed to prepare all students for success. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The School Foundation Inc?

The School Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check theschoolfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is The School Foundation Inc's EIN?

The School Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1092759. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 24, 2026)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The School Foundation Inc'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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