GCCF Awards Capacity Building and Operational Support Grants, June 2026

Greenwood County Community Foundation (GCCF) is pleased to announce the following grant awards in their 2026 Capacity Building and Operational Support cycle:

Arts Council of Greenwood— $25,000 for a professional ceramics studio

Lakelands Region YMCA  — $25,000 for Uptown Greenwood Y facility improvements

United Way of the Lakelands — $21,255 for United Center for Community Care upgrades

Capacity Building and Operational Support Grants are designed to assist nonprofit organizations in strengthening operations and infrastructure, enhancing organizational stability, planning for strategic growth, and/or making critical improvements to their facilities.

Lisa McMillan, Board Chair of the Arts Council of Greenwood, noted, “We are incredibly grateful to the Greenwood County Community Foundation for investing in the future of The Arts Center. As Board Chair, it is inspiring to see our community come together to support the next generation of artists. This grant directly fuels the expansion of our ceramics program, bringing us closer to a thriving, professional studio space that will serve Greenwood for years to come.”

“We are so appreciative for the Greenwood County Community Foundation’s investment in this project and recognition of the importance of expanding access to preventive health services in our community,” said Johnathan Bass, Lakelands Region YMCA ‘s Vice President of Advancement. “This grant will help transform an underutilized space at Uptown Greenwood YMCA into a dedicated program studio where individuals and families can participate in evidence-based health programs designed to prevent chronic disease and improve quality of life. By expanding our Community Integrated Health programming in the heart of Greenwood, we’re creating more opportunities for people to improve their health!”

Denise Holland, Executive Director of United Way of the Lakelands, commented, “We are thankful to the Greenwood County Community Foundation for this honor and for their funding of nonprofit organizations working to strengthen our communities. This support helps position the United Center for Community Care for continued growth, collaboration, and service. This grant will provide very important improvements for our tenants, such as the Food Bank of the Lakelands and the people they serve.”

GCCF congratulates these three recipient organizations and is grateful to be able to support their dedicated service within our Greenwood County community!