The Board and the Grants Committee share our gratitude for two community partners who provided facilities for our monthly meetings while the Community Foundation offices are undergoing expansion and renovations. The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina hosted the Grants Committee and All Saints Episcopal Church opened their conference room for Board meetings and collaborated with the holiday collection for CAPA.  

After careful review of three governance documents and discussions among the Advisory Board members, revisions have been made to the documents below.

The revised documents were approved by the Advisory Board at its meeting on December 13, 2023. Click on the links to read the documents:

• WIP Operating Guidelines Click Here
• WIP Officer and Standing Committee Responsibilities Click Here
• WIP Grant Cycle Click Here

WIP is growing - we welcomed ten new members at our January orientation! (eight pictured from left) - Susan Cole, Rhonda Mincey, Colleen Beach, Tierra Schaffer, Marty Neumeister, Suzanne Herbers, Monica Henkel, and Nancy Williams.

Did you know that WIP is still a well-kept secret among some local women? If you have friends who might be interested in learning about membership, there are two opportunities coming up soon: a February 6 gathering at 10 am at Mary-Stuart Alderman’s home located at 67 Dolphin Head Drive in Hilton Head Plantation), and a February 8 gathering at 4 pm at Dedria Cruden’s home, located at 25 Gunnery Lane in Sea Pines. Please contact Mary Stuart (msalderman@me.com) and/or Dedria (dedriacruden@gmail.com) if you have any prospective WIP members you would like to invite.

If you have not made your 2024 contribution, and wish to remain in WIP, please do so now. Contact Lisa Hodge at 843-681-9100 if you have questions.

The Grants Committee is engaged in reviewing 32 proposals submitted by various Beaufort County community organizations. These proposals center around the theme of "Promoting Mental Health," encompassing a wide spectrum of mental health-related issues, proposed solutions, and diverse community groups. Over the next month or two, the committee will meet several times to thoroughly review and discuss each application. Additionally, a round of interviews with selected semi-finalists will take place, culminating with the selection of the organizations who best meet WIP objectives for the 2024 grants program.

Thank you for your support, which makes this process possible. The breadth of project proposals underscores the need in our community, with some projects equally inspiring and heart-breaking.

Thank you to our Philanthropic ladies for making CAPA gifting a success! As always, the generosity of WIP members overflowed as they brought assorted personal hygiene products to contribute to CAPA (Child Abuse Prevention Association), adding a meaningful touch to the Holiday Party celebration. Charmian Hedrick from CAPA said they had a record number of children requesting gifts and they were able to provide Christmas gifts and support to 562 young people!

What is the WIP fiscal year and when are annual contributions due?

The WIP fiscal year is July 1 – June 30, commensurate with the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry fiscal year. Annual gifts coincide with the calendar year and are due in January. Members who join between July and December are asked to contribute at least $150 (half the normal minimum) in order to retain active membership.