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Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area
The foundation was established in 1995 to aggregate philanthropic capital across Georgia's second-largest metro. Its geography-specific mandate — spanning...
Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area
The foundation was established in 1995 to aggregate philanthropic capital across Georgia's second-largest metro. Its geography-specific mandate — spanning Richmond, Columbia, and surrounding counties — means allocation decisions are tied to local real assets and nonprofit capacity. CEO Shell Berry also leads a supporting entity, CSRA Property Holding 2, Inc., which runs a portfolio of commercial and mixed-use real estate, including a medical office building on St. Sebastian Way and a large redevelopment site on Chaffee Avenue. The foundation operates as a direct allocator in local real estate alongside a publicly traded securities portfolio. Its key vehicle is the HUB for Community Innovation, a mixed-use campus developed in partnership with Augusta National Golf Club, the Medical College of Georgia Foundation, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta. The campus absorbs roughly half the portfolio's weighted asset allocation, combining office space for community nonprofits with commercial frontage in a historically underinvested part of Augusta. The foundation also maintains land holdings on Gibson Road and Mason Road. Berry joined the organization in 2019 and has since consolidated its real estate management under a single supporting organization. She sits on the steering committee of the Georgia Grantmakers Alliance and the board of Augusta Tomorrow. The foundation's major recurring donor relationship is with Augusta National Golf Club, whose chairman Fred Ridley steers tournament-linked giving through a joint community grants fund. The office on St. Sebastian Way houses a six-person operating team. The foundation is structurally unusual among community foundations for its balance-sheet heft in direct real estate. Most peers in the Southeastern Council of Foundations channel nearly all assets through donor-advised fund grantmaking. By contrast, roughly half of CFCSRA's deployment sits in two property-holding structures, creating a permanent income base that funds grantmaking rather than relying on annual fundraising cycles.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1995
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Augusta
Corporate office
Augusta, Georgia, United States
Principals
Shell Berry
President and CEO
Nick Dickinson
Board Chair
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at the Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area?
President and CEO Shell Berry oversees both the grantmaking strategy and a separate real estate portfolio held under CSRA Property Holding 2, Inc. The foundation's board, chaired by Nick Dickinson, sets allocation policy across publicly traded securities and direct real estate holdings.
How is the Community Foundation related to Augusta National Golf Club?
Augusta National Golf Club is the foundation's most significant recurring donor and a direct business partner. Chairman Fred Ridley serves as a liaison on major community development projects, and the club jointly operates a Community Grants Fund that channels tournament-linked dollars into local nonprofits.
Does the foundation invest in real estate directly or only through fund commitments?
It invests directly. The foundation holds multiple commercial and mixed-use properties through a 501(c)(3) supporting organization, including the HUB for Community Innovation campus at 631 Chaffee Avenue and an office building at 720 St. Sebastian Way. This direct ownership is unusual among community foundations, which typically hold only grantmaking capital.
What is the HUB for Community Innovation, and who are the partners?
The HUB is a mixed-use redevelopment campus in Augusta's Harrisburg neighborhood, jointly developed by the foundation, the Medical College of Georgia Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Augusta, and Augusta National Golf Club. It houses nonprofit tenants alongside commercial space designed to generate operating income for the foundation.
How is the foundation's real estate portfolio separated from its grantmaking assets?
All property holdings are warehoused in CSRA Property Holding 2, Inc., a 501(c)(3) supporting organization. This structure insulates grantmaking endowments from property-level liabilities and allows the real estate arm to operate with independent management while still supporting the foundation's charitable mission.
What professional networks does the foundation participate in?
It is a member of the Council on Foundations, the Southeastern Council of Foundations, and the Georgia Grantmakers Alliance. CEO Shell Berry also serves on the steering committee of the Georgia Grantmakers Alliance and the board of Augusta Tomorrow, giving the foundation visibility into statewide and regional philanthropic coordination.
Does the foundation operate any donor-advised fund vehicles?
Yes, like most community foundations it structures charitable giving through donor-advised funds and endowment partnerships, but it distinguishes itself by the scale of its direct real assets. The real estate income stream effectively pre-funds a portion of annual grantmaking, reducing reliance on year-to-year donor contributions.
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