South Carolina Research Foundation
501(c)(3) Donations tax-deductible
97% goes to programs Thin reserves Declining revenue
South Carolina Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Columbia, South Carolina, registered in 1993, with $5,859,527 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 97% of spending to programs.
915 Bull St Osborne Admin Bldg 202, Columbia, SC, 29208 EIN 57-0967350 Since 1993
Revenue (FY2023)
$5.9M
▲ 1.4% vs prior year
Expenses (FY2023)
$5.8M
Net assets
$407K
Employees
0
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
★★★★
Rated on 4 of 4 criteria.
Held down by its weakest criterion — a strong score on one criterion can't hide a weak one.
How the rating works →A+Program efficiency40% of the rating97% to programs
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For South Carolina Research Foundation: 97% to programs earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
C+Financial health25% of the rating1 mo reserves · +1% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For South Carolina Research Foundation: 1 mo reserves · +1% margin earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For South Carolina Research Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For South Carolina Research Foundation: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The south carolina research foundation operates for the benefit of, or to carry out the purposes of, the university of south carolina. these activities include but are not limited to promoting, encouraging, and aiding scientific research and investigation.
Contact & location
- Address
- 915 Bull St Osborne Admin Bldg 202, Columbia, SC, 29208
- City
- Columbia
- State
- South Carolina
- Category
- —
- Subcategory
- —
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $141.8M (FY2013) to $5.9M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $2.5MNet assets $407K
Operating margin
1.2%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$2.9M
Total liabilities
$2.5M
Net assets
$407K
Salaries & benefits
$109K
2% of expenses
Board members
9
6 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $5,859,527▲1.4% | $5,788,391▲1.2% | $406,699▲21.2% | $2,871,569▼7.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $5,776,984▼0.6% | $5,721,027▼0.3% | $335,560▲20.0% | $3,090,852▼10.0% | 990 |
| 2021 | $5,813,160▼95.9% | $5,737,321▼96.0% | $279,603▲37.2% | $3,435,168▼92.8% | 990 |
| 2020 | $143,401,410▼14.8% | $143,456,860▼14.9% | $203,764▼21.4% | $47,441,220▲228% | 990 |
| 2019 | $168,376,547▼31.2% | $168,613,136▼31.0% | $259,214▼47.7% | $14,485,016▼66.3% | 990 |
| 2018 | $244,579,425▲159% | $244,218,323▲158% | $495,803▲268% | $43,018,264▼72.9% | 990 |
| 2017 | $94,423,772▲15.6% | $94,727,916▲15.7% | $134,701▼69.3% | $158,824,216▲22.4% | 990 |
| 2016 | $81,693,297▼50.2% | $81,843,799▼50.2% | $438,845▼25.5% | $129,741,448▲29.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $164,001,296▲28.2% | $164,200,407▲28.2% | $589,347▼25.3% | $100,538,152▲20.3% | 990 |
| 2014 | $127,951,526▼9.8% | $128,111,227▼9.8% | $788,458▼16.8% | $83,589,995▲44.5% | 990 |
| 2013 | $141,832,789 | $142,037,650▼21.9% | $948,159▼17.8% | $57,836,012▼7.2% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $181,930,291 | $1,153,020 | $62,309,685 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Kester Freeman — $24,000 (0.41% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kester Freeman | Board Chair, Exec Director | 1 | $24,000 |
| William Kirkland | Executive Director (through February 2024) | 2 | $16,124 |
| Bhavna Vasudeva | Director | 1 | — |
| Bob Quinn | Director | 1 | — |
| Brenda Thames | Director | 1 | — |
| David Black | Director | 1 | — |
| Dick Jones | Usc Board of Trustee Member | 1 | — |
| Jason Caskey | Education Foundation President | 1 | — |
| Julius Fridriksson | Usc Vp For Research, Nonvoting Scrf | 1 | — |
| Kelly Epting | Cfo | 5.6 | — |
| Michael Amiridis | Usc President, Nonvoting Scrf | 1 | — |
| Stephen Cutler | Usc Dean, College of Pharmacy | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2021)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc | Inventory of Apple | $505,121 |
Grants received · $2.0M total
49 grants to South Carolina Research Foundation totaling $2.0M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prisma Health | Op/community engagement | 2023 | $62,500 |
| Prisma Health-midlands | Operational/community engagement | 2022 | $25,000 |
| Prisma Health-midlands | Operational/community engagement | 2021 | $25,000 |
| Prisma Health-midlands | Operational/community engagement | 2020 | $25,000 |
| The Community Foundation Inc | For 2021 programming | 2020 | $21,000 |
| Neo Philanthropy Inc | Program grant | 2020 | $10,000 |
| Association of Universities For | Scientific research on data from hubble space telescope | 2020 | $9,590 |
| Emory University | Research/subcontract | 2020 | $5,000 |
| Emory University | Research/subcontract | 2019 | $56,000 |
| Association of Universities For | Scientific research on data from hubble space telescope | 2019 | $24,838 |
| The Community Foundation Inc | Beaufont center for the arts 2020 programming; the darla moore school of business annual fund | 2019 | $11,000 |
| Association of Universities For | Scientific research on data from hubble space telescope | 2018 | $133,123 |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation | Cf care center | 2018 | $69,765 |
| March of Dimes Inc | Community | 2018 | $31,000 |
| The Community Foundation Inc | 2019 programming | 2018 | $11,000 |
Grants made · $98K in FY2021
1 grant totaling $98K in FY2021. All grants made by South Carolina Research Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina | Scholarly research | $98,330 |
Frequently asked questions
- Is South Carolina Research Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. South Carolina Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 57-0967350, based in Columbia, South Carolina. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is South Carolina Research Foundation's EIN?
- South Carolina Research Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 57-0967350.
- How much revenue does South Carolina Research Foundation report?
- South Carolina Research Foundation reported $5,859,527 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of South Carolina Research Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- South Carolina Research Foundation spends about 97% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does South Carolina Research Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades South Carolina Research Foundation B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does South Carolina Research Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on South Carolina Research Foundation's latest Form 990 is $24,000, paid to Kester Freeman (Board Chair, Exec Director).
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Explore more
Data for South Carolina Research Foundation (EIN 57-0967350) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.