The Joanna Foundation
Sullivans Island, SC · EIN 57-0314444. Reported 81 grants totalling $341,284 to 80 recipients across tax years 2024-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Joanna Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $2,500. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,500 and $3,500; the smallest was $784 and the largest $50,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avian Conservation Center | Awendaw, SC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sc Environmental Law Project | Georgetown, SC | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| The Joanna Project | Joanna, SC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Coastal South Carolina | Awendaw, SC | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Joanna-Woodson Elementary School | Joanna, SC | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Apparent Winds | Mount Pleasant, SC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Carolina Ocean Alliance | Charleston, SC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Edisto Indian Free Medical Clinic | Ridgeville, SC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Musc Cares for the Unhoused | Charleston, SC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Village Museum | Mcclellanville, SC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| American College of the Building Arts | Charleston, SC | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Charleston Hope | Charleston, SC | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lowcounty and Midlands Orphan Relief | North Charleston, SC | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Neighbors Together | North Charleston, SC | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Palmetto Conservation Foundation | Columbia, SC | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Spectrum Sailing | Mount Pleasant, SC | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Vision to Learn | Los Angles, CA | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy | Louisville, KY | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Awendaw Regional Outreach Center | Awendaw, SC | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charleston Parks Conservancy | Charleston, SC | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| East Cooper Faith Network | Mount Pleasant, SC | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| We Are Family | North Charleston, SC | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ari Foss Foundation | North Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic | Johns Island, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lowcountry | North Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Birthday Buds | Sullivans Island, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charleston Area Justice Ministry | North Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Coastal Conservation League | Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Colour of Music Festival | Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Heal With Hearts | Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Holy City Wellbeing | Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Impact Justice | Oakland, CA | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Laurens County First Steps to School Readiness Partnership | Laurens, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lowcountry Center for Academic Equity | Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network | North Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| My Sister's House | North Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sea Island Habitat for Humanity | Johns Island, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Navigation Center | Charleston, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Orton-Gillingham Center of Charleston | Mount Pleasant, SC | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| 50CAN Fiscal Agt for Charleston Rise | Washington, DC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Amor Healing Kitchen | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Annex Dance Company | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charleston Habitat for Humanity | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Charleston Literary Festival | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charleston Port & Seafarers Society | Mount Pleasant, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Charleston Promise Neighborhood | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charleston Stage | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Children's Museum of the Lowcountry | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Doors to Dream | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ebony Myers Hope Foundation | North Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Going Places | Mount Pleasant, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Healing Hurts Ministries | Goose Creek, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Heart Math Tutoring | Charlotte, NC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| James Island Outreach | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Let's Walk | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Operation Home | North Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Svcs | Johns Island, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pet Helpers Inc | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Planned Parenthood South Atlantic | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Remnant House Outreach Ministry | Moncks Corner, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Respite Care Charleston | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| She's the Veteran | Mount Pleasant, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sight Savers of America | Pelham, AL | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Teachers' Supply Closet | North Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Ark of Sc | Summerville, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Green Heart Project | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Palmetto Project Begin With Books | North Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| TURN90 | North Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| United Charitable for the Transformation Table | Charleston, SC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Bridges of Hope (formerly Bridges for End of Life) | North Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Charleston Legal Access | North Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| East Cooper Meals on Wheels | Mount Pleasant, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Engaging Creative Minds | North Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Florence Crittenton Programs of Sc Aka Young Moms Together | Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Jewish Family Services of Greater Charleston | Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Media Reform of Sc LLC for Ohm Radio | Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Pattison's Academy for Comprehensive Education | Charleston, SC | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services Inc | Charleston, SC | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cuisine Rescue | Daniel Island, SC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Seabrook Island Village Neighbors | Seabrook Island, SC | $784 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
1 of 80 (1%) received money in more than one year over the 2 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 2%, across 1 year-to-year transition. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 56 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 41 | $163,284 | $3,000 |
| 2025 | 40 | $178,000 | $2,500 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
95% of its giving went to organizations in South Carolina. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $2,500. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in South Carolina.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Joanna Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: Po Box 308, Sullivans Island, SC, 29482. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 57-0314444 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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