The South Carolina Bar Foundation is proud to announce that Shanel Jackson has joined the team as its new Grants Manager. In this essential role, Shanel is responsible for the administration and oversight of the Foundation’s grants program—including application review, committee preparation, grantee communication, reporting, and compliance, ensuring that funds are stewarded with transparency, accountability, and alignment with the Foundation’s mission to promote justice by funding legal access and education across South Carolina.
Shanel brings more than a decade of experience in nonprofit management, grant administration, grant writing, and program operations. Prior to joining the Foundation, she served as Program Director for the Diabetes Action Council of South Carolina, where she led statewide program operations, managed an annual budget, wrote and administered grants, gifts, and contracts, and oversaw the review, award, and monitoring of grant funding to partner organizations.
Previously, Shanel was the Director of Operations, Membership, and Development at the Columbia Film Society (the Nickelodeon Theatre), where she oversaw organizational operations and grant administration, led successful fundraising initiatives, including special events and capital campaigns, secured significant grant funding, and managed reporting and documentation for funders and stakeholders.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Management and Marketing from Lander University. She also holds a certification in Facilitation and Leadership Development and is an active member of the NAACP Columbia Chapter and an ACLU Guardian of Liberty.
A resident of Columbia, South Carolina, Shanel values community engagement and thoughtful stewardship of resources. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family, exploring South Carolina’s state parks, and cheering on the Gamecocks.
