The Ceres Foundation concentrates its giving on land and habitat conservation in the South Carolina Lowcountry, making sizable, targeted gifts to regional conservation organizations. Grants reference a specific property/place (Gregory Neck) and a memorial designation, suggesting place-based and donor-directed support. The foundation funds established land trusts and conservation NGOs rather than broad national causes or many small projects.
A $250,000 grant to The Nature Conservancy of SC for Gregory Neck signals the Ceres Foundation Inc’s clearest pattern: place-based conservation in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Their largest recent awards go to land and habitat protection, including support for The Nature Conservancy of SC, Lowcountry Land Trust, and Open Land Trust. The foundation also uses donor-directed and memorial giving, as shown by grants made in memory of S. Carlton and for Barry Tract, alongside easement purchases and conservation work tied to named properties. That makes the funder especially recognizable for supporting specific parcels, established land trusts, and conservation organizations working on the ground. Recent grants also show that the foundation is willing to back practical field needs, not only land transactions, with support for site-visit logistics and related operational items. Outside conservation, the portfolio includes selective gifts to health, education, arts, and community organizations, but those awards sit beside a much stronger conservation emphasis rather than replacing it. The overall picture is of a regional foundation making targeted grants, often at mid-five-figure to six-figure levels, with a strong preference for well-defined projects and named places.
Land conservation is the central theme. The Ceres Foundation Inc gave $50,000 to Open Land Trust for easement purchase, showing direct support for land protection transactions. It also made a $50,000 grant to Nature Conservancy in Virginia for Purchase Simcox, extending its conservation activity beyond South Carolina. In coastal habitat work, the foundation awarded $50,000 to Nemours Wildlife Foundation for Piney Woods cattle study fund, linking conservation to research on land use and habitat conditions. A separate $25,000 grant to Open Space Institute for truck for site visits shows that the foundation also funds practical field operations that support conservation work. These grants point to a mix of easement acquisition, habitat stewardship, and logistical support for conservation NGOs.
Typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $17,500 at the 75th percentile, with a clear upper tier of larger project gifts. The recent record shows repeated support for some organizations across the same year, including multiple awards to Nuvance Health Network and American Cancer Society. The foundation appears to use both project-specific grants and general operating support, alongside memorial, honor, and challenge gifts. Its grantmaking is regional rather than national, and the recipient list is entirely U.S.-based. The foundation is not an individual-giving vehicle and does not make program-related investments.
$1M
$27M
$2M
$1.8M
Most grants fall between $5K and $18K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$18K
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Highly concentrated: only two, relatively large grants totaling $350,000 directed to regional conservation groups; repeat or diversified grantees not evident from available data; gifts appear targeted and place- or memorial-designated.
Notable grantees: The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina, Lowcountry Land Trust
Grant dollars land most often in Virginia, while South Carolina also receives a substantial share of support at 33% of grants. Recent recipients cluster in Roanoke, Charleston, Yemassee, Beaufort, and Mt Pleasant, with additional grants in Glen Allen and Charlottesville. The distribution is regional rather than national, and all recorded recipients are in the United States. The pattern combines the foundation’s South Carolina Lowcountry focus with a noticeable stream of awards into Virginia.
Its clearest pattern is land and habitat conservation, especially in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Recent grants include support for easement purchase, named properties such as Gregory Neck and Barry Tract, and conservation organizations working on regional land protection.
Among recent grants, the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $17,500. The recent list also includes larger awards of $50,000, $100,000, and $250,000 for specific projects.
No. Alongside conservation grants, recent awards support health, education, arts, and community organizations, including gifts to museums, schools, hospice care, and a food allergy challenge grant. Conservation remains the strongest thread, but the portfolio is broader.
Yes. Virginia is the top state by grant count, and South Carolina accounts for 33% of grants. Recent recipient cities include Roanoke, Charleston, Yemassee, Beaufort, Mt Pleasant, Glen Allen, and Charlottesville.
Both appear in the recent record. The foundation makes project-specific awards for easement purchase, named properties, and field needs such as a truck for site visits, while other grants are listed as general fund, general fund support, or challenge and memorial gifts.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nature Conservancy of SC | Mt Pleasant, SC | $200,000 | 2026 | chelsea plantation |
| Gibbes Museum of Art | Charleston, SC | $185,000 | 2026 | honor of angela mack |
| Community School | Roanoke, VA | $100,000 | 2026 | challenge met |
| Nuvance Health Network | Danbury, CT | $100,000 | 2026 | general fund and endowment/john murphy |
| Nemours Wildlife Foundation | Yemassee, SC | $50,000 | 2026 | cattle study |
| Hotchkiss School | Lakeville, CT | $50,000 | 2026 | honor of 1st girls |
| GrowFood Carolina | Charleston, SC | $35,000 | 2026 | packing boxes |
| Blue Ridge Literacy | Roanoke, VA | $30,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Roanoke Symphony Orchestra | Roanoke, VA | $25,000 | 2026 | challenge met |
| FARE | McLean, VA | $25,000 | 2026 | challenge met |
| Science Museum of Western VA | Roanoke, VA | $15,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| St Francis Service Dogs | Roanoke, VA | $15,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | $10,000 | 2026 | morgantina fund |
| Foxfield FARMS | Granby, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Southern Environmental Law Center | Charleston, SC | $10,000 | 2026 | sc office |
| Westminster School | Simsbury, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Davis Love III Foundation | St Simons Island, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| International Medical Corps | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Golden Opportunities | Newtown, CT | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Friends of Caroline Hospice | Ridgeland, SC | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Friends of Drayton Hall | Charleston, SC | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Mill Mountain Theatre | Roanoke, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Grace House of Brunswick | Brunswick, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Best Pets | Boulder, CO | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Simply Smiles | Westport, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Humane Society of South Coastal GA | Brunswick, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| St Mark's Episcopal Church | Fincastle, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | botetourt food bank |
| Fennell Elementary Magnet School | Yemassee, SC | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Centerpoint Church at Remount | North Charleston, SC | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Morningstar Childrens and Family Services | Brunswick, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Connecticut Burn Care Foundation | Milford, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Operation Bedspread | St Simons Island, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| LVA School | Danbury, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Ann's Place The Home of I Can | Danbury, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Exceptional Sidekick | Newtown, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Golden Isle Veterans Village Initiative | Brunswick, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Ability Beyond Disability | Bethel, CT | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Boys Farm Inc | Newberry, SC | $5,000 | 2026 | ag programs |
| St Simons Land Trust | St Simons Island, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Glynn Community Crisis Center | Brunswick, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Preservation Society of Charleston | Charleston, SC | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| Green Heart Project | Charleston, SC | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| South Carolina Aquarium | Charleston, SC | $5,000 | 2026 | education programs |
| Safe Harbor Center Inc | Brunswick, GA | $5,000 | 2026 | general fund |
| AMIkids | Seabrook, SC | $2,000 | 2026 | croquet tournament |
| The Nature Conservancy of SC | Mt Pleasant, SC | $250,000 | 2025 | gregory neck |
| Lowcountry Land Trust | Charleston, SC | $100,000 | 2025 | memory of s. carlton |
| Taubman Museum of Art | Roanoke, VA | $50,000 | 2025 | memory of maury strauss |
| Nuvance Health Network | Danbury, CT | $50,000 | 2025 | general fund |
| Nemours Wildlife Foundation | Yemassee, SC | $50,000 | 2025 | piney woods cattle study fund |
Nature Conservancy of SC
$200,000chelsea plantation
Gibbes Museum of Art
$185,000honor of angela mack
Community School
$100,000challenge met
Nuvance Health Network
$100,000general fund and endowment/john murphy
Nemours Wildlife Foundation
$50,000cattle study
Hotchkiss School
$50,000honor of 1st girls
GrowFood Carolina
$35,000packing boxes
Blue Ridge Literacy
$30,000general fund
Roanoke Symphony Orchestra
$25,000challenge met
Science Museum of Western VA
$15,000general fund
University of Texas at Austin
$10,000morgantina fund
Foxfield FARMS
$10,000general fund
Southern Environmental Law Center
$10,000sc office
Davis Love III Foundation
$10,000general fund
Golden Opportunities
$10,000general fund
Friends of Caroline Hospice
$10,000general fund
Friends of Drayton Hall
$10,000general fund
Mill Mountain Theatre
$10,000general fund
Grace House of Brunswick
$10,000general fund
Best Pets
$5,000general fund
Simply Smiles
$5,000general fund
Humane Society of South Coastal GA
$5,000general fund
St Mark's Episcopal Church
$5,000botetourt food bank
Fennell Elementary Magnet School
$5,000general fund
Centerpoint Church at Remount
$5,000general fund
Morningstar Childrens and Family Services
$5,000general fund
Connecticut Burn Care Foundation
$5,000general fund
Operation Bedspread
$5,000general fund
LVA School
$5,000general fund
Ann's Place The Home of I Can
$5,000general fund
Exceptional Sidekick
$5,000general fund
Golden Isle Veterans Village Initiative
$5,000general fund
Ability Beyond Disability
$5,000general fund
Glynn Community Crisis Center
$5,000general fund
Green Heart Project
$5,000general fund
Safe Harbor Center Inc
$5,000general fund
AMIkids
$2,000croquet tournament
The Nature Conservancy of SC
$250,000gregory neck
Nuvance Health Network
$50,000general fund
Nemours Wildlife Foundation
$50,000piney woods cattle study fund