Upstate South Carolina Women4Women Giving Circle Announces 2026 Grant Winners

Four local nonprofits receive $34,000 in grants supporting women, children and families

CLEMSON, S.C., Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Women4Women (W4W), an Upstate South Carolina giving circle of the Community Foundation of Greater Clemson, has awarded $34,000 in grants to four local nonprofit organizations providing critical services to women, children and families.

The grants will support a range of needs, including temporary housing, education and training for survivors of domestic violence, safe spaces for children, and emergency assistance with essential household expenses.

The Susan Marie Foster Sharp Memorial Grant, W4W's lead annual grant recognizing organizations making significant change for women, awarded $25,000 to The Hiding Place, which provides safe spaces where survivors of domestic violence and their children can heal, rebuild and thrive.

"It's such an honor," said The Hiding Place Co-Executive Director Breann Griffin. "This grant will help us establish The Monarch Center, a trauma-informed space where survivors can participate in educational programs and activities that foster connection and community, while providing children with a dedicated space to play."

Since its founding in 2023, The Hiding Place has served more than 1,500 women and 750 children.

Three additional nonprofits received grants of $3,000 each:

• MARYS House — supporting safety, advocacy, and independence for victims of domestic violence through faith-based family services.
  
  
• Pickens County First Steps — supporting programs that engage families, caregivers, and community partners to help children enter school ready to reach their highest potential.
  
  
• The Salvation Army of Oconee County— providing emergency funds for utilities and rent.

Giving circles are an increasingly prominent model in philanthropy, enabling people of varying financial means to pool resources and make charitable decisions collectively. Members engage with community needs and nonprofit organizations, allowing combined contributions to have a greater local impact.

"The W4W giving circle is just that—a close-knit community of women investing in other women and, in the process, enriching all of our lives," said Cheryl J. Dye, Ph.D., W4W Chair. "When pooled together, relatively small individual donations can have a tremendous impact on these and other worthy organizations to change many lives."

W4W members each contribute $300 or more annually, or $100 or more for student members.

Women4Women was the brainchild of the late Susan Sharp, former Executive Director of The Community Foundation of Greater Clemson. 

SOURCE Women 4 Women