Inspiring purposeful living and fostering thriving communities through learning, creativity, and innovation.
Three consecutive university-support grants to Furman University in Greenville anchor the recent record for Furman University Foundation Inc. The pattern shows a foundation that concentrates on institutional support for its namesake university while also backing the broader mix of learning, wellness, athletics, and community initiatives reflected in its funding priorities. Across the recent grants list, every award stayed in South Carolina and every grant went to a U.S. recipient, pointing to a local and campus-centered approach to giving. Recent support to Furman University totaled $594,189 in 2023, $446,992 in 2024, and $329,917 in 2025. Those awards fit a grantmaker whose stated priorities include higher education, scholarships, undergraduate research, community health, sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, public policy, athletics, diversity and inclusion, and student wellness. The foundation’s program structure also includes campaign-linked support through Clearly Furman — Funding Priorities, which channels donor-directed gifts to academics, wellness and community, athletics, institutes, and the annual fund. Its work extends beyond campus through The Hill Institute programs that serve Greenville-area founders and students.
Higher education is the clearest throughline in Furman University Foundation Inc’s giving. Through Clearly Furman — Funding Priorities, the foundation channels support to academics, wellness and community, athletics, institutes, and the annual fund, with donor-directed gifts also supporting scholarships and endowed programs. The foundation also backs entrepreneurship and startup support in Greenville. GVL Starts, run through The Hill Institute, provides weekly training, mentorship, and access to potential grant funding and resources for local founders and startups. Student career preparation appears in The Hill Institute — Clemens Angel Analyst Fellowship, which places undergraduate students with venture capital partners and includes a paid financial fellowship component. The Rinker Paladin Pitch Competition likewise gives founders training, mentorship, and access to potential grant funding, with winners receiving prize funding to advance ventures.
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $388,454, the median is $446,992, and the 75th percentile is $520,590. The recent grant list also shows repeated awards to the same recipient across three years, which points to a recurring institutional funding pattern rather than one-off project grants. The foundation does not make grants to individuals and does not make program-related investments. The available program descriptions emphasize institutional support, unrestricted support, and multi-year operational funding.
$339K
$22.9M
$1.8M
$343K
Most grants fall between $388K and $521K, with a median of $447K.
25th Percentile
$388K
Median
$447K
75th Percentile
$521K
SUSAN MADDUX
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Giving is highly concentrated in South Carolina, with 100% of recent grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Greenville is the recurring city in the recent record, including Furman University and several The Hill Institute programs. The geographic scope of active programs is local, extending to Greenville and the Upstate South Carolina region, with one fellowship program that reaches beyond the state through national partnerships.
Its stated focus areas include higher education, scholarships, undergraduate research, community health, sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship, public policy, athletics, diversity and inclusion, and student wellness. The recent grant record shows this in practice through repeated university support and campus-linked programs tied to academics, wellness, athletics, and institutes.
The recent grant record is centered on Furman University, but the foundation also supports The Hill Institute programs in Greenville. Those programs fund entrepreneurship, startup support, and fellowship opportunities for Furman students and community founders, showing a campus-centered but not campus-exclusive pattern.
Typical grant size is substantial: $388,454 at the 25th percentile, $446,992 at the median, and $520,590 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also includes awards of $594,189, $446,992, and $329,917 to Furman University.
Its giving is local, and 100% of recent grants went to recipients in South Carolina. Greenville is the clearest city in the record, with Furman University and The Hill Institute programs all tied to Greenville and the surrounding Upstate South Carolina region.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Furman University Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to Furman students and community founders (program pages indicate student and non-student participation; exact eligibility varies by year/competition).
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FURMAN UNIVERSITY | GREENVILLE, SC | $338,610 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FURMAN UNIVERSITY | GREENVILLE, SC | $329,917 | 2025 | UNIVERSITY SUPPORT |
| FURMAN UNIVERSITY | GREENVILLE, SC | $446,992 | 2024 | UNIVERSITY SUPPORT |
| FURMAN UNIVERSITY | GREENVILLE, SC | $594,189 | 2023 | UNIVERSITY SUPPORT |