Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
BISHOP GADSDEN, A LIFE CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY, EMBRACES GOD'S CALL TO MINISTRY. WE AFFIRM POSITIVE LIVING FOR ALL WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE. WE SERVE WITH INTEGRITY. WE EXERCISE WISE STEWARDSHIP. WE REACH OUT WITH A GENEROUS SPIRIT.
- Income
- $83.5 million
- Spending
- $76.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -29.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 83%
- Employees
- 874
- Volunteers
- 54
- Highest pay
- $481,150, ceo/president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 83% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $64.2 million spent. FOUNDED BY THE FOURTH EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN 1850, BISHOP GADSDEN EPISCOPAL RETIREMENT COMMUNITY UPHOLDS THE TRADITION OF FAITH-BASED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO THE WELL-BEING OF THOSE PERSONS WHO, BECAUSE OF AGE, PERSONAL CONDITIONS, HEALTH AND THEIR EXPRESS DESIRE, CHOOSE TO RESIDE IN A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. BISHOP GADSDEN IS A MISSION-DRIVEN, ORGANIZATION WHICH HAS A LONG-TERM OBLIGATION TO ITS RESIDENTS AND IS COMMITTED TO REMOVING FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO RESIDENCY. ITS ROOTS IN THE GREATER CHARLESTON COMMUNITY SPAN OVER 176 YEARS AND, OVER THE YEARS, IT HAS RESPONDED TO SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE GREATER COMMUNITY. IT HAS LONG BEEN OPEN TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, CREED, RELIGION, SEXUAL PREFERENCE, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.RETIREMENT COMMUNITY: BISHOP GADSDEN SERVES APPROXIMATELY 575 SENIOR ADULTS, 62 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER, RESIDING IN FOUR LEVELS OF CARE: INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY (283 UNITS), ASSISTED LIVING (79 UNITS), MEMORY SUPPORT (32 BEDS), AND SKILLED NURSING CARE (100 BEDS). BISHOP GADSDEN OPERATES TO MEET THE PRIMARY NEEDS OF SENIORS BY PROVIDING (1) RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES DESIGNED TO MEET PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, RECREATIONAL, SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND SIMILAR NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY, (2) ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES AS NEEDED, (3) ASSURANCE THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS RUN IN A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER, AND (4) THE COMMITMENT OF FINANCIAL SECURITY TO ANY RESIDENT WHO RUNS OUT OF MONEY THROUGH NO FAULT OF HIS/HER OWN.[
- $393,111 spent. CHARITABLE GIVING AND GENEROUS SPIRIT PROGRAMS: THROUGHOUT BISHOP GADSDEN'S HISTORY, A COMMITMENT TO GIVING HAS BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT RESULTING IN MORE $14.58 MILLION IN CHARITABLE CARE AND GIFTS BEING RAISED FOR CHARITABLE CARE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND DISTRIBUTED TO OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.THE CHARITABLE MISSION COMMITTEE'S NONPROFIT SELECTION CHAIR AND FELLOW RESIDENTS SELECT A SMALL GROUP (5 TO 7) OF NONPROFITS FROM A LIST OF AROUND 30 NONPROFIT GRANT APPLICANTS TO SUPPORT EACH YEAR. LED BY RESIDENTS, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM TEAM MEMBERS OF THE CHARITABLE GIVING OFFICE, THE CHARITABLE MISSION COMMITTEE SETS A FUNDRAISING GOAL. IN 2025, THIS IMPORTANT COMMITTEE DISBURSED $300,000 IN CASH. THESE FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED AS FOLLOWS: SEA ISLAND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY $100,000; SAINT JAMES $100,000; FERGUSON VILLAGE COMMUNITY $100,000; CHARLESTON RESCUE $3,000. ADDITIONALLY, $32,050 IN IN-KIND ITEMS, PLUS 5,000 TOYS FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY AND TOYS FOR TOTS WERE DONATED. IN ADDITION TO CHARITABLE CAUSES THAT SUPPORT OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS, RESIDENTS AND STAFF CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRONGHEART EMPLOYEE EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP, WITH $138,073 BEING DISTRIBUTED TO EMPLOYEES FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES AND EDUCATION DEBT ELIMINATION, AS WELL AS THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE FUND, WHICH GAVE LOANS AND GRANTS IN THE NET AMOUNT OF $64,930. IN ADDITION, THE EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE FUND PROVIDED 85 CARDS AND $8,500 IN BACK-TO-SCHOOL FUNDS FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.RESIDENTS AND STAFF CONTRIBUTE MORE THAN 5,100 VOLUNTEER HOURS TO LOCAL AND NATIONAL CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS, AN INVESTMENT OF $184,314. ADDITIONALLY, BISHOP GADSDEN'S CULINARY DEPARTMENT DONATED 16,000 POUNDS OF FOOD, EQUALING A GIFT OF $23,837. EXECUTIVE STAFF ALSO SIT ON COMMUNITY BOARDS SUCH AS SC COUNCIL OF ADVISORS ON CONSUMER CREDIT, LEADINGAGE SC, AND WE ARE SHARING HOPE SC.
- $300,000 spent. RESIDENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: BISHOP CHRISTOPHER GADSDEN FOUNDED THE HOME FOR ORPHANS AND WIDOWS IN 1850 TO ASSIST THOSE IN NEED. HIS VISION FOR A CARING COMMUNITY IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE ORGANIZATION NOW CALLED BISHOP GADSDEN. AT THE CORE OF BISHOP GADSDEN IS THE BELIEF AND EXECUTION OF THE CHARITABLE MISSION.SINCE 1995, BISHOP GADSDEN'S RESIDENT ASSISTANCE FUND HAS DONATED NEARLY $6 MILLION IN CHARITABLE CARE TO RESIDENTS FACING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES. THE RESIDENT ASSISTANCE FUND ALLEVIATES ANY ANXIETIES RESIDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE BY ASSURING THEM THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THE CARE THEY NEED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY CAN PAY. THROUGH THE CONTINUED EFFORTS OF BISHOP GADSDEN RESIDENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THE RESIDENT ASSISTANCE FUND CONTINUES TO BE A HIGH PRIORITY. THIS IMPERATIVE FUND ALLOWS BISHOP GADSDEN TO ASSIST RESIDENTS AND FUTURE RESIDENTS WHO, BY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, CAN NO LONGER AFFORD THEIR CONTINUED CARE, WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING OUTSIDE CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS. ALL RESIDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING FINANCIAL SUPPORT OR ASSISTANCE ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 73-98. THEY COME FROM THE GREATER CHARLESTON AREA, ARE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE, AND ACROSS ALL SOCIOECONOMIC LINES. BISHOP GADSDEN WILL CONTINUE TO EXTEND ASSISTANCE TO RESIDENTS, ACTING ON THE FIRM BELIEF THAT REMOVING ECONOMIC BARRIERS TO RESIDENCY IS PART OF ITS MISSION.IN 2025, APPROXIMATELY $336,000 WAS DISTRIBUTED IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1943.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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