A Democrat-backed nonprofit with no criminal justice experience received an $800,000 federal grant for anti-crime initiatives, but after more than a year, there’s little clarity on where most of the money went despite promises to transform rural South Carolina communities.
Key Takeaways
- The Lower Richland Alumni Foundation received an $800,000 federal grant through Rep. Jim Clyburn for anti-crime initiatives but has shown limited financial transparency with heavily-redacted records.
- Foundation leaders have only accounted for approximately $101,000 of the grant money, including $65,000 distributed to community programs and $36,000 paid as salary to its president.
- Partner organizations reported minimal engagement with the foundation, raising questions about the actual implementation of the 60+ events and programs the foundation claims to have launched.
- Financial reports show concerning spending patterns, with 80% spent on fundraising and only 18% on programming, well below the 65% recommended by charity watchdogs.
- The foundation previously struggled with a separate $156,000 county grant, leading to fund reallocation due to justification issues and questionable expenditures.
Federal Funding with Limited Oversight
In April 2023, Richland County Democrats announced the Community Cares Project, funded by an $800,000 federal grant secured by U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn. The program promised to address crime in the rural communities of Eastover, Gadsden, and Hopkins through community engagement and youth programs. Despite these lofty goals, the program was oddly assigned to the Lower Richland Alumni Foundation, an organization with no prior criminal justice experience that primarily focused on hosting community events and reunions.
“This organization felt it was past time that we stand up and regain our community,” said Cheryl Harris, Foundation president.
When questioned about the grant allocation, Rep. Clyburn defended his decision while avoiding specifics about accountability measures. The foundation claimed partnerships with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and other local agencies, but investigation has revealed these relationships were minimal at best. Of all the claimed partnerships, only Eastover and the Richland County Recreation Commission confirmed any meaningful collaboration.
Missing Money and Limited Results
After more than a year of operation, the foundation has failed to provide clear documentation of how the majority of the $800,000 grant has been spent. Public records requests have yielded heavily-redacted documents that obscure financial details. The foundation has acknowledged distributing just $65,000 to community programs and paying $36,000 to Harris as salary in 2023, leaving over $700,000 unaccounted for in public disclosures.
While the foundation claims to have launched over 60 events and programs, including youth activities and community gatherings, their actual role and financial contribution to these initiatives remains unclear. Many of these events appear to have been primarily operated by other organizations, with the foundation’s involvement and financial support being questionable or minimal. The foundation’s claims about transforming communities through anti-crime initiatives have been difficult to verify.
“I couldn’t tell you what all they were doing,” said Sheriff Leon Lott, whose department was supposedly a key partner.
Pattern of Financial Mismanagement
This isn’t the first time the foundation has faced questions about its handling of public funds. They previously received a separate $156,000 grant from Richland County to create educational centers, but encountered difficulties justifying expenditures, resulting in the reallocation of funds. Financial records show concerning patterns in the foundation’s operations, with 80% of expenditures going to fundraising and only 18% to actual programming—far below the 65% minimum that charity watchdogs recommend.
Discrepancies between the foundation’s tax filings and financial reports raise additional red flags about their financial practices and transparency. The organization appears heavily dependent on public funding while demonstrating persistent issues with financial management and accountability. Despite these concerns, Clyburn has maintained his support, framing the grant as a community investment.
“I support Community Project Funding requests that will improve the lives of my constituents by responding to a demonstrated need in their communities,” said U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn.
Taxpayer Money with Limited Results
The continued lack of transparency from the Lower Richland Alumni Foundation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of channeling federal funds through inexperienced organizations with limited oversight. With over $700,000 of taxpayer money unaccounted for in public disclosures, community members and taxpayers deserve a more comprehensive explanation of how their tax dollars are being spent. The pattern of financial discrepancies, minimal partnership engagement, and questionable impact demonstrates the risks of politically-motivated grant allocations.
