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South Carolina Humanites Council

EIN 57-0804684 · Columbia, SC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF SOUTH CAROLINA HUMANITIES COUNCIL, INC. IS TO ENRICH THE CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL LIVES OF SOUTH CAROLINIANS. THE ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO INCREASE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF AND SUPPORT FOR THE HUMANITIES BY TELLING THE HUMAN STORY BY AWARDING GRANTS FOR HIGH-QUALITY PUBLIC PROGRAMS, BY GENERATING SPECIAL HUMANITIES INITIATIVES, AND BY BRINGING HUMANITIES PERSPECTIVES TO BEAR ON CONTEMPORARY ISSUES.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
18.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 69%
Employees
5
Volunteers
28
Highest pay
$135,918, ex dir thru

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 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 (1)
  1. $731,601 spent. DURING FY 2025, SC HUMANITIES INCREASED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMANITIES BY FUNDING, PROMOTING, AND COORDINATING VARIOUS EXHIBITS, DOCUMENTARIES, DISCUSSION FORUMS, RESEARCH, PLANNING, WORKSHOPS, DRAMATIZATIONS, LECTURES, AND EVENTS THAT PERTAIN TO THE HUMANITIES. SPECIFICALLY, 34 GRANTS TOTALING 176,595 WERE AWARDED. THROUGH THE SPEAKERS BUREAU PROGRAM, 32 OF THE STATE'S FINEST SCHOLARS GAVE 95 PRESENTATIONS TO NONPROFITS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES AROUND SOUTH CAROLINA, SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST IN THE HUMANITIES. IN ADDITION, SC HUMANITIES CONTINUED THE TOUR OF THE TRAVELING SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT "SPARK PLACES OF INNOVATION," WHICH TRAVELED TO 3 COMMUNITIES BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2024 AND MARCH 2025, REACHING 6,155 PEOPLE. WE ALSO SPONSORED OUR ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA HUMANITIES FESTIVAL IN LANCASTER AND THE ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA AWARDS IN THE HUMANITIES, HONORING 6 INCREDIBLE HUMANISTS. WE LAUNCHED THE "REVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES SPEAKERS SERIES" TO HIGHLIGHT THE CRUCIAL, YET OFTEN-OVERLOOKED ROLES SOUTH CAROLINIANS PLAYED IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. TOGETHER, THESE ACTIVITIES REACHED 36 COUNTIES, HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMANITIES AND CULTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER IN CONVERSATION AND CELEBRATION. DURING FY 2025, SC HUMANITIES INCREASED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMANITIES BY FUNDING, PROMOTING, AND COORDINATING VARIOUS EXHIBITS, DOCUMENTARIES, DISCUSSION FORUMS, RESEARCH, PLANNING, WORKSHOPS, DRAMATIZATIONS, LECTURES, AND EVENTS THAT PERTAIN TO THE HUMANITIES. SPECIFICALLY, 34 GRANTS TOTALING 176,595 WERE AWARDED. THROUGH THE SPEAKERS BUREAU PROGRAM, 32 OF THE STATE'S FINEST SCHOLARS GAVE 95 PRESENTATIONS TO NONPROFITS AND PUBLIC AGENCIES AROUND SOUTH CAROLINA, SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST IN THE HUMANITIES. IN ADDITION, SC HUMANITIES CONTINUED THE TOUR OF THE TRAVELING SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT "SPARK PLACES OF INNOVATION," WHICH TRAVELED TO 3 COMMUNITIES BETWEEN NOVEMBER 2024 AND MARCH 2025, REACHING 6,155 PEOPLE. WE ALSO SPONSORED OUR ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA HUMANITIES FESTIVAL IN LANCASTER AND THE ANNUAL SOUTH CAROLINA AWARDS IN THE HUMANITIES, HONORING 6 INCREDIBLE HUMANISTS. WE LAUNCHED THE "REVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVES SPEAKERS SERIES" TO HIGHLIGHT THE CRUCIAL, YET OFTEN-OVERLOOKED ROLES SOUTH CAROLINIANS PLAYED IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. TOGETHER, THESE ACTIVITIES REACHED 36 COUNTIES, HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMANITIES AND CULTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER IN CONVERSATION AND CELEBRATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending October 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending October 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1985.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.