How to Engage

How We Engage With Partners

At Hollingsworth Funds, we believe we can make the most of our community’s remarkable growth to benefit us all. We are committed to working in partnership with others in Greenville to leverage our collective power to change the systems that hold people back from earning a living wage.

Although we are largely a proactive community investor, we encourage prospective partners to get in touch with us with ideas to support the pathways that lead to a living wage.

Our Commitment

We will listen and learn from those closest to the issues within our community.

We will be transparent and provide timely answers to respective partners.

We will help our community partners by being a thought partner, regardless of our financial relationship.

We will build and maintain thoughtful and collaborative relationships with our partners.

Our Approach

When considering a potential investment, these are some of the questions we ask ourselves:

  • Does it strengthen the pathways that lead to career opportunities that pay a living wage and build assets for people in low-income neighborhoods, with an emphasis on Black and Hispanic/Latinx people?
  • Does it align with one or more of our six focus areas?
  • Does it align with one or more of the strategies under our focus areas?
  • Does it help shift one or more of the six conditions of systems change?
  • Will it result in intentional opportunities to advance those who are most affected and not maintain the status quo or have unintended consequences?
  • Are those who are most affected at the table and how are they included?
  • Is there an opportunity to leverage one or more forms of our capital beyond our grantmaking to make change?

Investment Guidelines

Place

Under our trust documents, we focus our work on supporting nonprofit organizations operating for the benefit of Greenville County. Organizations must fit the description in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and be exempt for taxation under section 501(a), or an entity or organization described in sections 170(c)(1) or (2) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Amount

We consider requests of all sizes and do not have a specific minimum or maximum. Our median investment size is currently $50,000 with a range from $15,000 to $500,000. We encourage potential partners to submit a request that meets their needs.

How to Apply

We accept inquiries on an ongoing basis. If you believe your organization/initiative aligns with one or more of our focus areas, please contact our Community Investments Officers to schedule a consultation call:

Education: Tomeika Bennett, [email protected];

Workplace: Allison Safford, [email protected];

Housing and Transportation: Tamela Spann, [email protected]