Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $340,000 to SC K-12 education organizations during COVID-19 crisis
Apr 21, 2020 01:30PM ● By David Dykes
Staff Report
The Duke Energy Foundation announced more than $340,000 in grants to support South Carolina K-12 education programs focused on summer reading loss, STEM and experiential learning.
Given the COVID-19 crisis, the foundation has given each grantee the opportunity for additional flexibility and the option to use the funds to address unforeseen operational challenges, Duke Energy officials said.
"Nonprofits are on the frontlines of the pandemic response. Having the flexibility to move funds where they are needed most right now is critical to their success," said Mike Callahan, Duke Energy South Carolina president. "Funding these programs is significant, but helping organizations survive now so they can continue to deliver these services down the road just makes sense."
Together SC, the state alliance that brings nonprofit organizations and their staffs together to help strengthen the state's nonprofit community, said it understands firsthand the needs nonprofits are facing and the value of flexibility.
"Duke Energy's thoughtful decision to permit grantees to redirect grant funds to more urgent COVID-19 needs is a brilliant move," said Madeleine McGee, Together SC president. "These funds may well be what gets these organizations and those they serve through the next few months."
Darlington County School District received funding for a summer book mobile for students in Darlington, Lamar and Society Hill.
"We were so excited to receive this grant," said Marisa Johnson, arts and innovative programs coordinator for the district. "Due to the statewide school closures, we are forced to revisit our original plan and will now distribute books to our students at various locations around the county. We are extremely grateful for Duke Energy's flexibility in allowing grantees to make programmatic changes because of the viral pandemic we are experiencing. Our students will have plenty of books to add to their home libraries thanks to Duke Energy."
Grant Recipients
Organization | Grant Award | Counties Served |
Children's Museum of the Upstate | $20,000 | Greenville |
Clarendon School District Two | $14,000 | Clarendon |
Clemson University Foundation | $87,500 | Qualifying counties |
Darlington County School District | $27,000 | Darlington |
Florence School District One | $20,000 | Florence |
Girl Scouts of SC | $20,000 | Upstate region |
SC Future Minds | $20,000 | Cherokee |
South Carolina Ag in the Classroom | $20,000 | Qualifying counties |
South Carolina Governor's School for Science and | $18,000 | Florence Darlington Chesterfield |
South Carolina Waterfowl Association | $20,000 | Qualifying counties |
United Way of Pickens County | $25,000 | Pickens |
United Way of Anderson County | $25,000 | Anderson |
Upcountry History Museum - Furman University | $20,000 | Greenville |
Winthrop University Foundation | $11,614 | York |
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work.
The foundation contributes more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars.
More information about the foundation and its Powerful Communities program can be found at duke-energy.com/foundation.