Investing in Women and Children in Our Community
Women in Philanthropy releases funds to programs that help women and children in our community through a competitive process. These programs are monitored for progress and long-term success.
2025-2026 WIP Grants
DYSLEXIA RESOURCE CENTER - $8,255
Women in Philanthropy announced The Dyslexia Resource Center as one of its 2025-2026 grantees.
The Dyslexia Resource Center (DRC) is a non-profit program that serves students in the Midlands who struggle with reading. We provide affordable informal assessments and evidence-based tutoring, train educators and caregivers in evidence-based reading instruction, and raise awareness about dyslexia, which is the most common cause of learning disabilities. Reading is integral to so many aspects of life, and we know 95% of people can learn to read if taught using evidence-based approaches. We have been committed to building confident readers for the past 25 years. Three local churches in the Eau Claire and Shandon neighborhoods of Columbia and in Elgin share their space with us so that we may tutor students.
Orangeburg County First Steps - $10,000
Women in Philanthropy announced Orangeburg County First Steps as one of its 2025-2026 grantees.
Orangeburg County First Steps received funding to support Countdown to 4K, a school transition program designed to prepare young children and their families for a successful entry into pre-kindergarten (4K). This initiative connects rising 4K students with their teachers through one-on-one summer home visits, ensuring children develop foundational learning skills and social-emotional readiness before the first day of school.
Brookland-Lakeview Center for Community Economic Change $31,745
Women in Philanthropy announced Brookland-Lakeview Center for Community Economic Change (BLEC) as one of its 2025-2026 grantees.
Funds were used to pilot its "Economic Empowerment through Healthcare Training (EETH)" project. BLEC will leverage its strong partnerships with Level Up Healthcare Academy LLC, First Community Bank, and the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW) to support 60 community members who seek to become Certified Nursing Assistants (NCA), grow their careers, and earn more income to care for their families, and reach long-term goals.
Other organizations/programs that have received WIP funding in the past:
Alcorn Middle School
Alliance for Women
Bluff Road Shalom Zone CDC
Carolina School for Inquiry
Christ Central Ministries
College Summit SC
Columbia College
Columbia Museum of Art
Communities in Schools
Community Mediation Center
Crayton Middle School
Family CDC Seeds of Hope
Family Service Center of South Carolina
Family Shelter
Fast Forward
Free Medical Clinic
Friends of DJJ
Girl Scouts Mountains to Midlands
Girls Empowered, Columbia College Center for Leadership
Girls, Inc.
Healing Families
Keep the Midlands Beautiful
Lexington Improvement League
Lutheran Family Services
Mental Health Association
Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc.
Midlands Marine Middle College High School
My Amigos Bilingual Education Center
Nurturing Center
Orangeburg County Library
Palmetto Center for Women
Palmetto Place Children’s Shelter
Partners in Compassion
Prevent Child Abuse - Children's Trust of South Carolina
Reach Out and Read Carolinas
Red Cross
Richland Library
Riverbanks Society
Rolling Readers of the Midlands
Samaritan’s Well
SC Philharmonic
SC Youth Advocate Program
Southeastern Institute for Women in Politics
The Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands
The Leadership Institute at Columbia College
The Nurturing Center
The Salvation Army
Trinity Housing Corporation
Trustus Theater
Tutor Eau Claire
USC School of Information and Library Science
Youth Corps