GWG Co-Chairs' Update - September 2026

UPCOMING EVENTS

21st GWG Annual Fall Kickoff

Tuesday, September 22 • 5:30-7:30PM

Woodside Conference Center/Greenville Convention Center, 2 Eisenhower Dr, Greenville 29607

Enjoy catching up with friends, meeting new members, and listening to stories of impact that go “beyond the grant.” This is one of the best opportunities all year to show why we support and belong to GWG, so register a guest, too! 
More info. REGISTER

Strictly Social (Members Only)

Monday, October 5 • 3:30-5:30PM

300 S. Main St, Greenville 29601

Backstage Pass: Mockingbird & Coach Music Factory Tour

The Peace Center is the place to be for some of the very best in arts and entertainment - and now is your chance to see what happens behind the curtain.  Join fellow GWG Members for an exclusive, guided look inside two of our newest venues, The Mockingbird and Coach Music Factory. Wander through the listening room where Nashville songwriters take the stage, step onto the multi-level club floor built for late nights and live music, and hear the stories behind these beautifully restored historic buildings, once home to the Greenville Coach Factory.

Education Session #1: SPOTLIGHT ON ENVIRONMENT

Tuesday, October 20 • 8:30AM-10:00AM

Poinsett Club, 807 East Washington St, Greenville 29601

The Rise, Fall, and Recovery of Conestee Nature Preserve

Once viewed as a polluted and overlooked landscape, Conestee Nature Preserve has transformed into one of the Upstate’s most remarkable environmental success stories. This session will explore the origins of Lake Conestee, the ecological challenges that shaped the land, and the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene. A panel of experts will share insights into the damage, the ongoing restoration efforts, and what it takes to rebuild and protect this vital ecosystem for future generations.


Members Only:

Wednesday, October 28 • 6:00PM

Home of our Founder, Frances Ellison

UNCORKED: Meet the Board over wine & conversation

Join us for a relaxed evening of wine and conversation with the women who help lead GWG. Learn how GWG works behind the scenes, discover the committees that make it all happen, and explore ways to get involved—whether you have a little or a lot of time to give. Come sip, connect, ask questions, and find your place in GWG!

To make it easier, just put ALL GWG events on your calendar! CLICK HERE




NEWS BEYOND THE GRANT

Soteria Community Development Corporation

Background: In 2024 GWG members voted to award a $97,125 grant to construct two tiny homes designed by Fine Arts Center high school architecture students, built by Soteria prison re-entry program participants, and rented to Soteria program graduates. This is the pilot phase of an innovative vision to create a mixed-income community for individuals re-entering society from incarceration and for people emerging from chronic homelessness.

UPDDATE: Read the recent article in the Greenville Journal CLICK HERE

Safe Harbor

Background: In 2023 GWG members voted to award a $100,000 grant to assist in the construction of a new domestic violence shelter and co-located services center that will increase the bed count from 34 to 56, increase the number served by 100 residents and improve services and facilities for domestic violence victims. The GWG grant will fund four (4) two-bedroom/one-bathroom units in the new 45,000sq.ft. facility.

Update: On August 21 many GWG members attended the dynamic ribbon cutting ceremony and then toured the amazing new facility. On August 25 Safe Harbor residents started moving into their new residences. Read more in the Greenville Journal CLICK HERE

SHARE OUR STORY

1. Follow and share GWG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube
2. Follow this year’s grantees’ social media pages by going to their websites
3. Volunteer to post and create stories on one or more of GWG’s social media platforms. Contact Tabi Cooper, Communications Committee Chair
4. Share the GWG story with prospective members and potential sponsors. Want some ideas of what to say in 30-60 seconds?  CLICK HERE

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

Join the Grants Review Committee (GRC)

We are expecting a record number of grant applications this year, and the GRC can always use more members to be a part of the most important part of our mission. Want to know what’s involved? Contact greenvillewomengiving@gmail.com.

Sign up for Philanos!

Every GWG member is a member of Philanos, the national leading women’s giving circle network. Sign up (no charge) at this link to have access to discussion groups, webinars and resources that help all of us become better educated philanthropists and thoughtful grantmakers in our community.

Too new to know what you want to do?! (We have all been there!!)

Find a good fit in these Committee Descriptions.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Special Thanks to…

Hosts Ginny Mitchell and Alina Haines, and to the whole Membership Committee under the leadership of Chair Suzanne Foody and Vice-Chair Katie Gaines, for creating an incredible EOBO (Each One Bring One) event at the Cliffs Clubhouse on August 5. Mary Hipp, Board Chair of Feed & Seed Co and GWG charter member, spoke about food insecurity in Greenville County and the impact of the recent GWG grant in empowering her organization to provide fresh, nutritious, locally grown food for all Greenville County Schools. 50 members attended and brought 36 guests, 4 of whom became members by the end of August! Well done!

Hope to see you at the Kickoff on September 22 – it should be a night to remember!