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Upstate Forever

Foundation · Grantmaker GREENVILLE, SC EIN: 57-1070433 Website

UPSTATE FOREVER IS A CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO PROTECT CRITICAL LANDS, WATERS, AND THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF THE UPSTATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Key facts about Upstate Forever

EIN
57-1070433
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$536,480
Grants made (2024)
11
Average grant
$48,771
Median grant
$24,200
Total assets
$9,434,451
Primary geography
South Carolina (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated April 2026.

Who Upstate Forever funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Upstate Forever's 11 itemized 2024 grants were South Carolina (91%) and North Carolina (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pelzer, SC (2 grants), Piedmont, SC (2 grants) and Spartanburg, SC (2 grants). None of its 11 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Easement Assistance" (7 grants).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$9.4M

-0.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$536K

+509.6% YoY

Grant Count

11

+175.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$49K

+121.7% YoY

About Upstate Forever

Based on IRS filings

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in GREENVILLE, SC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $9.4M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 11 grants totaling $536K. Net investment income was $267K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of all 11 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

SpartanburgGreenvilleGreenwoodPelzerPiedmontCayceHendersonvilleMount PleasantSix Mile

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$3M$4M$5M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$9,434,451$9,459,000$7,494,973
Revenue$3,966,855$4,583,091$2,494,400
Expenses$4,432,831$3,162,353$2,690,777
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$266,680$205,350$143,594
Distributable Amount———

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$134K$268K$402K$536K0 grants20200 grants20210 grants20224 grants202311 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 8 recipients in 2024

The King Family Trust$254K · 2 grantsMctimber Properties Llc$89K · 2 grantsSpace$55K · 2 grantsConserving Carolina$50KThe Nature Conservancy$50KNaturaland Trust$18KSc Farm Bureau Land Trust$10KUpper Savannah Land Trust$10K

Grant Size Distribution

15 grants across all recorded years

11<$50K3$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The King Family Trust ($254,000 across 2 grants), Mctimber Properties Llc ($89,200 across 2 grants), Space ($54,840 across 2 grants).

RecipientPurposeAmount
THE KING FAMILY TRUST PELZER, SCPASSTHRU EASEMENT$245,000
MCTIMBER PROPERTIES LLC PIEDMONT, SCPASSTHRU EASEMENT$65,000
CONSERVING CAROLINA HENDERSONVILLE, NCFEE SIMPLE ACQUIS.$50,000
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY MOUNT PLEASANT, SCEASEMENT ASSISTANCE$50,000
SPACE SPARTANBURG, SCFEE SIMPLE ACQUIS.$39,840
MCTIMBER PROPERTIES LLC PIEDMONT, SCEASEMENT ASSISTANCE$24,200
NATURALAND TRUST GREENVILLE, SCEASEMENT ASSISTANCE$18,440
SPACE SPARTANBURG, SCEASEMENT ASSISTANCE$15,000
SC FARM BUREAU LAND TRUST CAYCE, SCEASEMENT ASSISTANCE$10,000
UPPER SAVANNAH LAND TRUST GREENWOOD, SCEASEMENT ASSISTANCE$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

ALDON KNIGHTEXECUTIVE DI$134KLISA HALLODEPUTY DIREC$103KJOY DICKERSONFINANCIAL DI$97KANDREA COOPEREXEC DIR JAN$40K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
ALDON KNIGHTEXECUTIVE DI40$133,765
JOY DICKERSONFINANCIAL DI40$96,538
LISA HALLODEPUTY DIREC40$102,875
ANDREA COOPEREXEC DIR JAN40$39,591
JOHN KEITHCHAIR0.5—
ALLEN JACOBYVICE CHAIR0.5—
EVAN CRAMERTREASURER0.5—
JEFF TILLERSONSECRETARY0.5—
BOB BARETODIRECTOR0.5—
JOHN BAUKNIGHT IVDIRECTOR0.5—
MIKE BAURDIRECTOR0.5—
PHIL FEISALDIRECTOR0.5—
STINSON FERGUSONDIRECTOR0.5—
MARGARET HARRISONDIRECTOR0.5—
GLENN HILLIARDDIRECTOR0.5—
TOM KESTERDIRECTOR0.5—
KATE KONOPASEKDIRECTOR0.5—
ERWIN MADDREYDIRECTOR0.5—
CHRISTINE NACHMANDIRECTOR0.5—
MARK WESSONDIRECTOR0.5—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Upstate Forever?

Upstate Forever is a nonprofit organization focused on Environment & Animals, based in GREENVILLE, SC. It holds $9.4M in total assets as of 2024.

How large is Upstate Forever?

As of 2024, Upstate Forever holds $9.4M in total assets with $4.0M in annual revenue. It awarded 11 grants totaling $536K in 2024.

Where does Upstate Forever operate?

Upstate Forever has awarded grants in North Carolina, South Carolina.

What size grants does Upstate Forever award?

In 2024, Upstate Forever awarded 11 grants totaling $536K — an average of about $49K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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 2020–2024.

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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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