Several years ago, the Education Foundation of Greenville (EFG) brought together a group of community leaders to lead an initiative called the Our3 Endowment Campaign. In response to ongoing school funding cuts, the goal of the campaign was to create a source of supplemental funding for the district’s arts and academic enrichment programs, ensuring their continuation. The campaign was successful, and the result was the establishment of the EFG Academic Enhancement Fun and the EFG Performing Arts Fund. Later the EFG Athletic Fund was endowed, as well. The Funds are administered by GACF.

Linda VanHouten, EFG President, shared about the impact of the Our3 campaign and the EFG funds. “We have been able to help sustain programs and services for fine arts and academic enhancement areas with our endowment funds.  We know that without this, many of the programs would have been cut from the schools and students would not have had the same experiences they have today without the funds.”   

In total, the funds have provided over $700,000 in support for students and staff at Greenville Public Schools. 

VanHouten envisions the impact of the funds extending far beyond the students’ school years. “Our hope is to influence the lives of Greenville Public Schools students in a way that inspires them to give back to their community in the future. We want their experiences to shape who they are in a positive and lasting way,” she explained.  

With forward thinking and a commitment to future generations, EFG is well-positioned to ensure essential programs remain available. “We are proud of the opportunities we can provide and look forward to continuing to raise money to increase these great opportunities,” VanHouten shared. 

As GACF celebrates its 35th anniversary, we bring together the collective stories of donors, nonprofits, students, and community members to demonstrate the power of philanthropy in creating lasting impact and a stronger future.