Troy Hanna, President & CEO of Spartanburg County Foundation
Construction is complete for the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy, the first center for philanthropy in the state of South Carolina.
The Center is a state-of-the-art hub for people to gather, analyze data, and share ideas for solutions to Spartanburg’s critical indicators. It will be a place where donors, nonprofits, and community groups meet and collaborate. It will also offer access to research and innovative tools for building the organizational capacity of Spartanburg nonprofits.
It was just over a year ago that The Spartanburg County Foundation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for The Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy. Over 150 community members and distinguished guests attended this landmark event.
“Our groundbreaking ceremony represented more than just breaking ground on the Center for Philanthropy,” said Mary Thomas, Chief Operating Officer. “We broke ground on the future of philanthropy in South Carolina and introduced a first-of-its-kind facility that will generate change not only in Spartanburg County but also throughout the state.”
The Center allows The Spartanburg County Foundation, its partners, nonprofits, and community leaders to move the needle on critical issues facing Spartanburg in an innovative, collaborative space designed to spark ideas and facilitate action around data-driven solutions to address the challenges that we all care about as a community. The Center will allow the Foundation to enhance the donor experience and proactively connect them to its program of work.
The Center meets the need for a flexible meeting and convening space in Spartanburg for nonprofits, other funders, and a multitude of organizations whose mission is to improve the lives of people in our county. “The Center for Philanthropy is all about Spartanburg and how we build a legacy and community here,” Thomas said. “We want people to naturally gather in the Center.”
Nonprofits will benefit from the Resource Media Room, an innovative learning space that will offer access to research and tools to strengthen an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission over time. The building will incorporate interactive technology, especially in the Gallery of Philanthropy, where stories of giving back will be featured in one of the many planned exhibits.
“The critical work that will be seen in the Center is already happening today,” said Troy Hanna, President and CEO. “This Center is not about a building, but the people who embody that work every day to shape our community’s future.”
Though the physical doors of the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy have not yet been opened to the community, the Center is already making a difference in the Spartanburg community. Through the Center for Philanthropy brick paver campaign, people can support disaster relief, including crucial COVID-19 assistance in Spartanburg County. Personalized, commemorative bricks are available to anyone interested in supporting The Spartanburg County Disaster Relief Fund and leaving a lasting, permanent mark on The Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy.
“Through these brick pavers, the Center for Philanthropy is already able to connect to the community and support Spartanburg County through disaster relief,” said Troy Hanna, President and CEO of The Spartanburg County Foundation.
Learn more about the Robert Hett Chapman III Center for Philanthropy and brick pavers on the Foundation’s website at spcf.org.