The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable
The Williams-Brice-Edwards Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Sumter, South Carolina. It says it exists to serve the community by investing in organizations and initiatives that enhance quality of life in Sumter County.
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable at a glance
In short: The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable gave $5.6M across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $156K), mostly in South Carolina. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,598,067
- +23.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- +9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $155,502
- +13.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $57,405,876
- +4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (10 of 36, 2024)
- 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 Williams Brice Edwards Charitable
- How to Apply
-
The website directs applicants to download an application and send it by mail. The 2024 filing lists no required form and says awards are restricted to organizations operating in Sumter County, South Carolina.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Frank O Edwards
Mailing address: 5 Broad Street, Sumter, SC 29150
Phone: (803) 773-5407
Website: https://wbecharitabletrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was City of Sumter ($1.7M). Together the top 10 received $4.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
164 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 93 grants of 164 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust says it serves Sumter County. Its 2024 filing states that awards are restricted to organizations operating in Sumter County, South Carolina; all reported grant dollars that year went to recipients in South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 36 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $60K; repeat grants $192K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $55K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 104% 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 $4.5M (2023) to $5.6M (2021). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $5.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Sumter Sumter, SC | Opera House, Various City Projects | $1,700,000 |
| Sumter County Museum Sumter, SC | Sculpture, Air Conditioner, Operations | $803,500 |
| USC-Sumter Columbia, SC | Matching Scholorships, Gym | $500,000 |
| Wilson Hall Sumter, SC | Operations | $300,000 |
| Camp Cole Eastover, SC | Operations | $300,000 |
| YMCA Sumter, SC | Operations | $275,000 |
| South Carolina ETV Columbia, SC | Bobby Richardson Project | $254,567 |
| American Heart Association Sumter, SC | Special Projects & Main Street Preservation Project | $216,000 |
| Liberty STEAM Charter School Sumter, SC | Operations | $200,000 |
| USC-Columbia Columbia, SC | Operations | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable?
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 | $57,405,876 | $8,452,969 | $6,140,920 | $5,598,067 | 36 | $5,598,067 | $7,910,116 | $5,382,860 |
| 2023 | $55,046,172 | $4,864,935 | $5,192,898 | $4,539,523 | 33 | $4,539,523 | $4,211,560 | $4,429,533 |
| 2022 | $55,510,074 | $2,913,355 | $5,509,833 | $4,851,000 | 28 | $4,851,000 | $2,254,522 | $4,810,675 |
| 2021 | $57,951,375 | $6,028,487 | $6,358,574 | $5,623,600 | 35 | $5,623,600 | $5,293,513 | $5,548,456 |
| 2020 | $68,783,691 | $5,260,023 | $5,057,719 | $4,579,200 | 32 | — | $4,774,176 | $4,522,185 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable reported a distributable amount of $5.4M 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 trust says it focuses on arts and culture, healthcare, educational and religious programs, and economic development that positively affects the community. It says it prioritizes opportunities benefiting Sumter’s residents.
Its 2024 grants included support for a range of organizations. For example, Wilson Hall says its mission is to provide a well-rounded education to kindergarten, elementary, and high school students. Liberty STEAM Charter School describes its mission as providing equal access to a rigorous, student-centered K–12 education. Morris College says it aims to prepare graduates for productive careers and to enhance their lives and society.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust reported 36 grants totaling $5,598,067. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,700,000, with a median of $30,000. Large grants included $1,700,000 to the City of Sumter for the opera house and various city projects; $803,500 to Sumter County Museum for sculpture, an air conditioner, and operations; and $500,000 to USC-Sumter for matching scholarships and a gym. Other awards included $300,000 each to Wilson Hall and Camp Cole, and $275,000 to the YMCA.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The trust’s website lists Frank O. Edwards as chairman of the board of trustees, along with Florence M. Ervin, Lauren Edwards Brennan, Reid Schwartz, and Stephen M. Creech. The 2024 filing lists Florence M. Ervin, Frank O. Edwards, and Lauren E. Brennan as trustees.
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Florence M. Ervin
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank O. Edwards
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lauren E. Brennan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 Williams Brice Edwards Charitable
How much does The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable give each year?
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable gave $5.6M across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.5M across 33 grants.
What is The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's typical grant size?
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $155,502, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable that year got $60K on average.
Where does The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable give grants?
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable 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 Sumter, SC (22 grants) and Columbia, SC (8 grants).
Does The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (16 grants) and "Special Project" (9 grants).
Who are The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's largest grantees?
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's largest 2024 grantees include City of Sumter ($1,700,000), Sumter County Museum ($803,500) and USC-Sumter ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable?
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable reported $57.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable fund?
The trust says it focuses on arts and culture, healthcare, educational and religious programs, and economic development that positively affects the community. It says it prioritizes opportunities benefiting Sumter’s residents. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable?
The website directs applicants to download an application and send it by mail. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's EIN?
The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6105891. 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). The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-williams-brice-edwards-charitable-morg_3804c115251743b2b9fce9936d6362a3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_576105891_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Williams Brice Edwards Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-williams-brice-edwards-charitable-morg_3804c115251743b2b9fce9936d6362a3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Williams Brice Edwards Charitable'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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