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Foundation Lookup

Form 990-PFTax year 2025EIN 57-6056810

The Chester Foundation

A private foundation in Chester, SC. Its return for tax year 2025 lists 13 grants and $730,000 paid in grants.

See which foundations fund work like yours Matching by cause, place and grant size

Tax year 2025 (period ending Dec 31, 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

How to apply

Accepts applications

The return gives an application contact and rules, as below.

Contact
Joseph M McElwee Jr
P O Box 832
Chester, SC 297060832
(803) 581-9198
Form and materials
The organization accepts requests for assistance from 501 (c)3 organizations, governmental organizations and churches located in or for the benefit of chester county, SC. The organization will also accept requests from educational organizations qualifying as 501(c)3 organizations, primarily higher educations, where the organizations benefit needy individulas residing in chester county, SC, with financial requirements of attending the organization. No assistance can be provided, however, for any family members of any officers or trustees of the foundation. The trustees review requests and determine which organizations will be suppoted and at what level.
Deadlines
Requests will be considered when received. There are no deadlines.
Restrictions
None, except geographic parameters shown in the applications format.

Assets and giving by year

8 returns on file
Grants paid by tax year. The latest year is in blue.

  • Tax year 2025

    $730,000

    Grants listed
    13
    Assets, end of year
    $12,130,466

  • Tax year 2024

    $728,750

    Grants listed
    20
    Assets, end of year
    $12,120,272

  • Tax year 2023

    $720,000

    Grants listed
    22
    Assets, end of year
    $12,008,547

  • Tax year 2022

    $792,600

    Grants listed
    25
    Assets, end of year
    $12,314,297

  • Tax year 2021

    $646,000

    Grants listed
    20
    Assets, end of year
    $12,255,394

  • Tax year 2020

    $650,500

    Grants listed
    22
    Assets, end of year
    $12,560,652

  • Tax year 2019

    $652,000

    Grants listed
    21
    Assets, end of year
    $11,556,829

  • Tax year 2018

    $650,000

    Grants listed
    25
    Assets, end of year
    $11,773,208

Grants paid in 2025

13 grants, largest first

As listed on the return. Grants to individuals show as “Individual”, with purpose and amount only.

  1. The Academy for Teaching and LearniChester, SC

    Public education

    $440,560
  2. Clemson Univ FoundationClemson, SC

    Public education

    $120,000
  3. Edgemoor Community Action AssocEdgemoor, SC

    Public charity

    $39,000
  4. Chester Area United WayChester, SC

    Public charity

    $25,000
  5. Christ Central Center of HopeChester, SC

    Public charity

    $20,000
  6. GraspGreat Falls, SC

    Public charty

    $20,000
  7. Individual

    Public charity

    $15,000
  8. Chester County Historical SocietyChester, SC

    Public charity

    $13,440
  9. Chester County DSSChester, SC

    Municipal entity

    $10,000
  10. Fort Lawn Community CenterFort Lawn, SC

    Public charity

    $10,000
  11. Individual

    Church - food pantry

    $10,000
  12. Palmetto CouncilSpartanburg, SC

    Public charity

    $5,000
  13. Great Falls DWNTWN AssocGreat Falls, SC

    Municipal entity

    $2,000

Where the money goes

By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.

  1. Religion1 grant $20,00057% of the total
  2. Public affairs1 grant $10,00029% of the total
  3. Youth development1 grant $5,00014% of the total

By State

Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.

  1. South Carolina11 grants $705,000

Officers, directors and trustees

7 people as filed

As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.

  • Ladson F StringfellowTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $3,275
  • Joseph M McElwee JrTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $3,275
  • Linda SudolTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $8,800
  • Janice T DahnkeTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $7,500
  • Ann M McCroreyTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $3,275
  • Dwight W PearsonTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $3,275
  • J Brian SingletonTRUSTEE Hours 0.25Pay $3,275

The return

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