Women in Philanthropy (WIP), a charitable giving circle of the Community Foundation of the Lowcountry, awarded $162,475 in grants to seven deserving Beaufort County nonprofits at its 2026 Grant Awards Luncheon at Country Club of Hilton Head. The theme of WIP’s 2026 grant cycle was “Bridging the Gap: Employment, Basic Needs, and Family.”

The luncheon featured informative and inspiring presentations by 2025 WIP grant recipients, as well as the announcement of the 2026 grantees. WIP, who has over 200 members, has granted over $1.3 million to local organizations since its inception in 2003!

The 2026 Women in Philanthropy Grant Recipients are:

• Bluffton Jasper Volunteers in Medicine: $18,000 to fund the Chronic Disease Care Program, which provides resources to help uninsured adults manage chronic disease, enabling them to maintain employment and care for their families.
• Family Promise of Beaufort County: $20,000 to fund the Housing Stabilization Program, which supports families with children who are at imminent risk of homelessness or who are currently experiencing homelessness.
• Hilton Head Deep Well Project: $21,475 to fund From Surviving to Thriving: Connecting Neighbors to Education, Employment, and Family Stability. The program will connect individuals to key elements of advancement: education, basic needs, and family stability.
• Lowcountry Legal Volunteers: $28,000 to fund an expansion of the Charting a Path Forward for Families Program. The program provides free, comprehensive legal advocacy and outreach to families in need.
• Neighborhood Outreach Connections: $20,000 to fund the program Breaking Barriers by Creating Opportunities: Integrated Support for Working Families in Hilton Head. Their unique dual track program will help close the educational gap affecting low-income children and address the employability gap faced by parents.
• Second Helpings: $25,000 (Dr. Juliann Bluitt Foster Fund)* to fund Basic Needs and Family Stability Through Food Rescue Operations.

* Dr. Foster was a dedicated member of WIP from 2007 until her passing in 2019. For several years, Juliann served as chair of the grants committee. To support WIP’s grantmaking efforts, Juliann left a generous bequest to WIP. Her legacy lives on each year, with the grants committee awarding grants from Juliann’s memorial fund.

The Children’s Center: $30,000 to fund Bridging Communities Through Tuition Assistance, which will provide childcare scholarships for working families.

If you would like more information about Women in Philanthropy, visit https://cf-lowcountry.org/giving-circles/women-in-philanthropy-wip or contact CFL’s Lisa Hodge at 843-681-9100.