Palmetto Family Council

What Palmetto Family Council does

Palmetto Family Council is a Columbia, South Carolina-based 501(c)(4) non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1993 and operating publicly since 1994. It self-describes as "South Carolina's only independent, faith-based public policy organization," promoting a biblical worldview on issues including the value of life, marriage and family, educational freedom, religious liberty, and resistance to gambling expansion. Its core constituency comprises South Carolina faith-community donors, pastors and church leaders, and state legislators and candidates.

The organization's offerings are content- and program-driven rather than technology-driven. Products include the Palmetto Insider newsletter, the Capitol Connection legislative update, an annual Legislative Scorecard, a Family Structure Index Report, candidate surveys, an extensive resources library on adoption, addiction, marriage, parenting, and gambling, a Speaker Request Service, and the Church Ambassador Network of South Carolina — a pastor-to-government-official relationship program directed by Al Phillips. Underlying infrastructure is a Squarespace-hosted website with email newsletter distribution and Anedot-powered online donations; no proprietary platform, app, or AI component is present in the stack.

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary individual, church, and faith-organization donations processed via the Anedot donation portal. The organization is led by president Steve Pettit (appointed 2023 after a decade leading Bob Jones University), with Executive Vice President Randy Page, Operations Director Kevin Caiello, Publishing and Advocacy Director Josiah DuCharme, and Church Ambassador Network Director Al Phillips — a roughly five-to-six-person team. It operates in long-standing alliance with Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council and shares leadership with the affiliated Palmetto Family Alliance (same president, focused on gambling opposition). All activity is concentrated within South Carolina.

Name

Palmetto Family Council

Legal name

Palmetto Family Council

Website

https://palmettofamily.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Palmetto Family Council is a South Carolina 501(c)(4) faith-based advocacy non-profit, founded in 1993, that promotes biblical-values public policy and connects pastors with government officials through its Church Ambassador Network, funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Public Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

Keywords

• Faith-based advocacy
• Public policy advocacy
• Religious liberty
• Family values
• Legislative scorecard

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Palmetto Family Council operates as a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, churches, and faith-based organizations. The organization accepts donations through its secure online portal at secure.anedot.com/palmetto-family-council/give.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Palmetto Family Council is a faith-based 501(c)(4) public policy organization that advocates for biblical values in South Carolina. It provides legislative advocacy, policy research, candidate endorsements, and grassroots mobilization tools aimed at influencing state policy on issues including religious liberty, the value of life, marriage and family, educational freedom, and opposition to gambling expansion. It engages South Carolina pastors through the Church Ambassador Network to build relationships between church leaders and government officials.

Product overview

Palmetto Family Council operates as a single integrated advocacy organization rather than a platform with modular products. Its core offering consists of policy advocacy and public education services including the Palmetto Insider newsletter, Capitol Connection legislative updates, and an annual Legislative Scorecard. The organization also provides the Church Ambassador Network program connecting faith leaders with government officials, a Speaker Request Service, and maintains an extensive Advocacy Resources Library covering topics like adoption, addiction, gambling, depression, marriage, and parenting. The organization produces research publications including the annual Family Structure Index Report and Candidate Survey materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Church Ambassador Network of South Carolina: A network connecting shepherds of the church with shepherds of government to foster Gospel transformation at local, relational, theological, and practical levels in South Carolina.

Products and services

• Palmetto Insider Newsletter

Quantifiable outcome

• South Carolina improved family stability ranking from 45th to 28th nationally (2014-2026)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Focus on the FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking association with Focus on the Family since founding in 1993-1994. Collaborated on defending and strengthening the family in South Carolina. Palmetto Family Council references Focus on the Family resources on marriage, parenting, adoption, and addiction topics.
• Family Research CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking association with Family Research Council since founding. Partner organization in family policy advocacy space providing research and policy support.
• Faith Wins AmericamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-signed joint letter against gambling bills in April 2025 alongside other faith and business groups. Partnership for shared advocacy on family values issues in South Carolina.
• Palmetto Promise InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as source for S.62 ESA legislation information and school choice policy. Shared organizational confidence in legal standing of education scholarship programs.
• Catholic Diocese of CharlestonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-signed joint letter opposing gambling legislation in April 2025.
• South Carolina Baptist ConventionmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPolicy consultant Tony Beam represents the SC Baptist Convention. Co-signed gambling opposition letter. Ongoing partnership on biblical worldview advocacy.
• Exceptional SCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRandy Page serves on the board of Exceptional SC, which provides tax credits for donations funding scholarships for special needs students.
• The Swamp Fox InitiativeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-signed joint letter opposing gambling legislation.
• Greenville Baptist AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAl Phillips served as Director of Missions for the Greenville Baptist Association until retirement in January 2025. Churches in the association are part of the Church Ambassador Network.
• Palmetto Family AlliancecoreOthersRelated organization focused on fighting video poker expansion and gambling. Steve Pettit serves as President of Palmetto Family Alliance. Palmetto Family Council works closely on shared policy goals.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Focus on the Family: National Christian family values organization and direct strategic partner of Palmetto Family Council since founding. Comparable mission around strengthening families, biblical worldview, and marriage/parenting resources, but operates at national scale with significantly larger staff and budget.
• Family Research Council: National policy research and advocacy organization focused on family, faith, and freedom issues. Direct founding-era partner of Palmetto Family Council; comparable legislative advocacy, research publications, and scorecards, but national scope.
• Heritage Foundation: Prominent conservative think tank producing policy research and legislative scorecards. Comparable in policy advocacy, scorecard publication, and influencing family/freedom legislation, but far broader in scope (federal policy) and significantly larger.

Direct peers

• American Family Association: Faith-based advocacy organization promoting biblical values in public policy. Comparable in mission (religious liberty, family, conservative Christian worldview) and grassroots mobilization model, though national in scope with media and boycotts focus.
• Concerned Women for America: Conservative Christian public policy organization focused on biblical values, family, and religious liberty. Directly comparable advocacy model with state-level lobbying networks similar to Palmetto Family Council's South Carolina focus.
• Christian Voice: Conservative Christian political advocacy organization focused on biblical values and electing aligned candidates. Comparable candidate endorsement, legislative scoring, and grassroots mobilization activity to Palmetto Family Council's Palmetto Family Alliance work.
• Faith & Freedom Coalition: Faith-based civic engagement organization mobilizing evangelical voters and advocating for biblical values in policy. Comparable model combining grassroots mobilization, voter guides, and policy advocacy with conservative Christian worldview.
• National Right to Life Committee: Pro-life advocacy organization combining policy research, legislative lobbying, and state affiliate networks. Comparable state-organization affiliate structure, legislative scorecards, and grassroots mobilization on a single issue area of Palmetto Family's mission.
• Eagle Forum: Conservative Christian advocacy organization promoting family values, pro-life positions, and biblical worldview in public policy. Comparable legislative lobbying, candidate evaluation, and state-level affiliate-style operations to Palmetto Family Council.

Regional players

• Palmetto Promise Institute: South Carolina-based education choice and school freedom policy organization. Comparable state-level focus and overlapping mission on educational freedom/ESA legislation, making it a natural regional peer in the SC advocacy ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/palmettofamily

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palmetto Family Council