Upstate Forever
Upstate Forever is a conservation organization with a mission to protect critical lands, waters, and the unique character of the upstate of South Carolina.
Upstate Forever at a glance
In short: Upstate Forever gave $138K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in South Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $138,300
- -74.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- -36.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $19,757
- -59.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $9,505,667
- +0.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Upstate Forever funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Palmetto Piedmont Properties LLC ($30K). Together the top 7 received $138K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 22 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2022) to $536K (2024). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $138K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Palmetto Piedmont Properties LLC Chattanooga, TN | Easement Assistance | $30,000 |
| SC Farm Bureau Columbia, SC | Easement Assistance | $27,500 |
| Space Spartanburg, SC | Easement Assistance | $25,000 |
| Upper Savannah Land Trust Greenwood, SC | Easement Assistance | $20,000 |
| Foster Fields LLC Spartanburg, SC | Easement Assistance | $15,000 |
| SC Parks & Rec Columbia, SC | Easement Assistance | $10,800 |
| Eli Brooks Properties LLC Spartanburg, SC | Easement Assistance | $10,000 |
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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 | $9,505,667 | $7,284,433 | $7,691,756 | $138,300 | 7 | $239,778 |
| 2024 | $9,434,451 | $3,966,855 | $4,432,831 | $536,480 | 11 | $266,680 |
| 2023 | $9,459,000 | $4,583,091 | $3,162,353 | $88,000 | 4 | $205,350 |
| 2022 | $7,494,973 | $2,494,400 | $2,690,777 | $7,950 | Total only | $143,594 |
| 2021 | $8,968,983 | $1,882,250 | $2,168,119 | — | — | $197,497 |
| 2020 | $8,803,852 | $1,382,086 | $1,864,708 | — | — | $36,662 |
| 2019 | $8,703,859 | $1,977,977 | $1,654,565 | — | — | $103,359 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About Upstate Forever
Based on IRS filings
Upstate Forever is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Greenville, SC. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $9.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $138K. Net investment income was $240K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Upstate Forever is led by Allen Jacoby, Chair since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 4 of 22 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Allen Jacoby
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Erwin Maddrey
Director
Board → Chair, 2020
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Glenn Hilliard
Director
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Keith
Director
Director → Chair, 2023
Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Baur
Director
Vice Chair → Board, 2020
Board → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Harrison
Director
Board → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Barreto
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kate Konopasek
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Wesson
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phil Feisal
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tom Kester
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christine Nachman
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stinson Ferguson
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Poliakoff
Director Fr
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maurie Lawrence
Director Fr
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joy Dickerson
Financial Di
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$89K (2022) → $102K (2025)
Aldon Knight
Executive Di
Development → Executive Di, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$125K (2023) → $144K (2025)
Lisa Hallo
Deputy Executive
Deputy Director → Deputy Executive, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$103K (2024) → $108K (2025)
Morgan Martin
Development
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$120K (2025)
Evan Cramer
Treasurer
Board → Director, 2022
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Tillerson
Secretary
Board → Director, 2022
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Bauknight IV
Vice Chair
Board → Director, 2022
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Andrea Cooper (2019–2024) — Executive Director Jan
- Former: Chris Richardson (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Mary Haque (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Sam Erwin (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Gaye Sprague (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Neal Workman (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Thomas Kester (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Em Jones (2022) — Director
- Former: Emelyn Jones (2019–2021) — Board
- Former: Joe James (2019–2021) — Board
- Former: Charles Dalton (2019–2020) — Board
- Former: Charlie Mickel (2019–2020) — Board
- Former: Joe Lesesne (2019–2020) — Board
- Former: Marianna Habisreutinger (2019–2020) — Board
- Former: Mark Taylor (2019–2020) — Board
- Former: Pamela Vaughn (2019–2020) — Board
- Former: Hank McCullough (2019) — Board
- Former: Michael Allen (2019) — Board
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 $144K, to Aldon Knight (Executive Di). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Upstate Forever
How much does Upstate Forever give each year?
Upstate Forever gave $138K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $536K across 11 grants.
What is Upstate Forever's typical grant size?
Upstate Forever's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $19,757, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Upstate Forever give grants?
Upstate Forever gives mostly in South Carolina: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Tennessee (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Spartanburg, SC (3 grants) and Columbia, SC (2 grants).
Does Upstate Forever give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 7 grants with a stated purpose on Upstate Forever's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Easement Assistance" (7 grants).
Who are Upstate Forever's largest grantees?
Upstate Forever's largest 2025 grantees include Palmetto Piedmont Properties LLC ($30,000), SC Farm Bureau ($27,500) and Space ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Upstate Forever?
Upstate Forever reported $9.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.3M.
What is Upstate Forever?
Upstate Forever is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in Greenville, SC. It holds $9.5M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Upstate Forever's EIN?
Upstate Forever's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-1070433. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 13, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Upstate Forever's focus areas in our free grants database
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