Discovery
Evaluation
Diligence
Implementation
Criteria
While all of our investments are unique, our experience suggests that there are common themes to a successful investment. The nonprofits we invest in will meet the following criteria:
- Be a registered 501c3 organization, public charity
- Be in or delivering services to the citizens of Charleston, Berkeley or Dorchester Counties
- Nonprofit’s mission and goals align with our mission and goals
- Have an operating budget of $100,000- $1 million
- Previously funded investees can reapply with new, innovative projects after a two-year period.
- Nonprofit’s mission and goals provide diversity to the portfolio of our current and recent investees
- Empower Charleston’s investment, both financial and intellectual capital, will be significant to the nonprofit
- We seek to invest two (2) grants of $20,000-50,000 a year, for two years. There is also the potential for co-investments.
- Year 2 is dependent on meetings goals and objectives in Year 1.
- The nonprofit should be able to articulate the need for pro bono hours.
- The nonprofit needs to have an infrastructure that allows for engagement between Partners and staff, as well as a collaboration between Partners and an engaged Board that is receptive to experiential contributions.