As Anchor Investment Management, LLC celebrates 25 years of helping individuals and families build strong financial futures, the Columbia-based wealth management firm is investing in another kind of future: the health, education, families and well-being of communities across the Midlands. Through its inaugural Anchor Impact Fund grant cycle, the team at Anchor awarded a total of $12,000 during Cycle 1 to EmmanuWheel, Camp Discovery and Reading is Power.
The grants mark the first awards distributed through the Anchor Impact Fund, a donor-advised fund established in honor of the firm’s 25th anniversary. The program was created to support nonprofit organizations that are addressing local needs and creating measurable, community-centered impact.
“As we celebrate 25 years of serving our clients and communities, it is especially meaningful to support organizations that are making a lasting difference across the Midlands,” said Birgit “Sam” Lumpkin, director of operations at Anchor and a member of the Anchor Impact Fund grant committee. “We are honored to invest in their important work and grateful for the impact they create every day. Their dedication reflects the spirit of service and community that inspired the Anchor Impact Fund.”
The following organizations were selected to receive funding during the inaugural grant cycle:
- EmmanuWheel received funds to support of its Meeting the Ongoing Need project. The organization provides ADA-compliant access ramps for low-income individuals with mobility challenges, helping improve safety, accessibility and independence for seniors, veterans and people with disabilities throughout the Midlands.
- Camp Discovery received funds for its Engaging and Inspiring Through Discovery in Science and Nature project. Funding will provide 80 fourth-grade students from Jackson Creek Elementary School, a Title I school in Richland School District Two, with hands-on outdoor STEM learning experiences focused on Earth science concepts, helping bring classroom lessons to life through experiential education.
- Reading Is Power received funds to support its Preschool Bilingual Home Libraries for Spanish-Speaking Families project. The initiative will provide 50 bilingual home libraries to Midlands families with children ages three to five, promoting early literacy, language development and school readiness while encouraging shared reading at home.
The Anchor Impact Fund was established as an extension of the firm’s longstanding commitment to helping clients align their resources with their values. For years, Anchor has guided individuals and families through charitable giving strategies, legacy planning and philanthropic decision-making. The launch of the fund reflects that same philosophy — creating opportunities for investments from the Anchor team that generate lasting returns beyond financial markets.
“At Anchor, we believe thoughtful investments can create meaningful impact, whether it’s helping a family prepare for retirement or helping a nonprofit expand its reach,” said Jill Kearse, client services associate and estate planning coordinator at Anchor and a member of the Anchor Impact Fund grant committee. “The Anchor Impact Fund allows us to invest directly in organizations that are improving lives and building a stronger future for our community.”
In its inaugural year, the Anchor Impact Fund will distribute $25,000 through two grant cycles. Funding is guided by four focus areas that reflect the needs and strengths of the Midlands: health, education, families and communities. Grants are designed to support focused projects, innovative programs and capacity-building efforts that help organizations increase their impact.
Applications for Grant Cycle 2 will open July 1 and close Sept. 1, 2026. The cycle will focus on organizations serving families and communities, with funded projects beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
