2026 Newby Fellowship
Mary Black Foundation Announces 2026 Dr. George Newby, Jr. Community Health Fellow The Mary Black Foundation is excited to name Elizabeth Tisdale, executive director of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union Counties, as the 2026 Dr....
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2026 Grants Awarded
The Mary Black Foundation Awards Over $1.3 Million in Grants When women and babies thrive and when young children have access to strong early learning opportunities, our entire community thrives. In its most recent round of funding, the Mary Black...
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OPEN PHILANTHROPY | Who Reads Your Grant Application – and What Happens Next
OPEN PHILANTHROPY Who Reads Your Grant Application — and What Happens Next By Rochelle Williams, Chief Strategy Officer & Vice President of Community Impact We often hear a version of the same question from nonprofit partners: What actually happens after...
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Meet Our New Trustee: Bert Barre
Meet Our New Trustee: Bert Barre We’re excited to welcome Bert Barre to the Mary Black Foundation (MBF) Board of Trustees this year. A Spartanburg native, Bert has spent most of his life in the community and brings a...
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New Year’s Letter
A New Year’s Letter from Our President & CEO As we begin a new year, our team at the Mary Black Foundation is excited about the momentum we saw in 2025 and optimistic about the opportunities ahead. We are...
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Honoring Retiring Trustee, Dr. Nayef Samhat
Honoring Retiring Trustee, Dr. Nayef Samhat As the year begins to come to a close, the Foundation would like to take a moment to honor Dr. Nayef Samhat, who will be retiring from the Foundation’s Board of Trustees after...
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OPEN PHILANTHROPY | When Change Is Hard: Caring for Long-Time Partners While Evolving Our Strategies for Greater Impact
OPEN PHILANTHROPY When Change Is Hard: Caring for Long-Time Partners While Evolving Our Strategies for Greater Impact By Natalia Valenzuela Swanson, Senior Director of Community Impact Impact, collaboration, accountability, respect, and equity are the Mary Black Foundation’s values. These...
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In Her Own Words: A Portrait of Our Newby Fellow
In Her Own Words: A Portrait of Our Newby Fellow We asked our 2025 Newby Fellow, Amber Pendergraph, to share her truths, quirks, and reflections on her life and work. Modeled loosely after the famed Proust Questionnaire you may have seen in...
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OPEN PHILANTHROPY | Building Brains: How and Why We’re Investing in Quality Care During the Early Years
OPEN PHILANTHROPY Building Brains: How and Why We’re Investing in Quality Care During the Early Years By Haley Wicker, Program Director The first 1,000 days of a human being’s life are crucial. Because brain neurons develop so rapidly during...
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How We Are Using All of Our Tools to Build a Healthier Future for Children
How We Are Using All of Our Tools to Build a Healthier Future for Children By Dr. Ebony Gaffney, Mary Black Foundation Trustee & Community Impact Committee Chair, Psychiatrist, and Director of Spartanburg Area Mental Health As a psychiatrist...
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