Upstate Giving, April 24

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Local nonprofits seek to shade Swamp Rabbit Trail

TreesUpstate, Bike Walk Greenville, and the Greater Greenville Parks Foundation have launched a joint initiative called Shade the Rabbit to plant and maintain an additional 125 trees along the Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail.

TreesUpstate has already planted 561 trees on the trail, and the goal is to raise $80,000 to plant and maintain new trees along Greenville County’s Green Line portion of the trail. About $70,000 has been raised through corporate sponsorships and individual donations, according to a news release, and the nonprofits hope to raise the last $10,000 by mid-June.

“Trees connect neighbors, create community pride, and clean our air and water,” TreesUpstate Executive Director Joelle Teachey said in the release. “By donating and joining us, you can be the roots of a strong Upstate and part of the global solution for the next generation.”

North Greenville one of 7 U.S. colleges certified for transparency

Tigerville’s North Greenville University has been selected as one of seven third-level institutions in the United States to receive “Transparency Certification” from Excellence in Giving LLC., a philanthropic advisory firm that serves high-capacity donors.

The certification recognizes philanthropic organizations for sharing more data about governance, finances, strategy and impact than required by the Internal Revenue Service, according to a news release. NGU received the certificate after publishing 175 data points about its operations and performance for donors to review before investing in the university.

“We are confident that transparency in financial matters reflects our core values and honors our proclamation that ‘Christ makes the difference,’” NGU President Gene C. Fant Jr., said in the news release.

Greenville women gift $50,000 to renovate soup kitchen

Greenville Women Giving, a 500-woman philanthropic organization founded in 2006, awarded a $50,000 grant to Project Host for the renovation of the nonprofit’s 25-year-old soup kitchen.

The $50,000 grant is one of 11 awarded this year to Greenville nonprofits, and will aid the organization in serving 600 to 700 meals each week to people in need.

“The Greenville Women Giving grant is a huge step forward in Project Host’s effort to revitalize the full soup kitchen building,” Project Host CEO Tobin Simpson said in the release. “The kitchen has seen a lot of wear and tear over the past several decades, and in order for us to continue to serve populations in need for another 40 years and to create a welcoming, safe environment for volunteers and guests alike, we need to update our physical spaces. We’re so grateful to Greenville Women Giving for investing in our organization and mission in such a significant way.”