Charleston Leadership Foundation

What Charleston Leadership Foundation does

Charleston Leadership Foundation (CLF) is a private, Charleston-based nonprofit founded in 2002 by Jerry Young to convene local Christian leaders for community ministry. Its flagship offering is the Annual Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast, held each fall at the Charleston Area Convention Center and featuring nationally recognized keynote speakers; one source states the event has cumulatively attracted over 23,000 community leaders over 20 years. The organization operates a platform-plus-programs model, supplementing the Prayer Breakfast with the CLF Legacy Golf Tournament (established 2019), the CLF Associates Program (a vetting channel that promotes vetted Christian nonprofits across the Charleston metro), the Jerry and Lynn Young Legacy Endowment (established 2018, approximately $200,000), and affiliated initiatives including LifeWorks of Charleston and God in the Workplace.

CLF generates revenue through a multi-stream model: corporate and faith-based sponsorships structured in tiered packages (Gold $3,500, Silver $1,250, Faith Based Sustaining $1,000, plus golf-specific tiers up to a $10,000 Title Sponsor), individual ticket and table sales for the Prayer Breakfast, golf tournament team fees ($1,500 per team), general donations, and the Legacy Endowment. Its go-to-market is event-driven and relationship-mediated, relying on church networks (First Baptist, Mt. Moriah, Seacoast, St Andrew's), an email newsletter, a Vimeo content library, and Facebook engagement to drive attendance and sponsorship renewals. The organization has a track record of incubating and spinning off successful nonprofits, including Lowcountry Orphan Relief (2006) and Be a Mentor (2018).

CLF employs 1-10 staff and operates from a P.O. Box in Charleston, SC, with the Prayer Breakfast held at the Charleston Area Convention Center in North Charleston. It is affiliated with the national Leadership Foundations network and partners with the Post & Courier Good Cheer Fund for holiday assistance. CLF offers no technology products or software platforms; its operations are entirely event-based and community-ministry focused.

Name

Charleston Leadership Foundation

Legal name

Charleston Leadership Foundation

Website

https://clf1670.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Charleston Leadership Foundation is a Charleston, SC-based nonprofit founded in 2002 that convenes local Christian business and community leaders through an annual Prayer Breakfast, a golf tournament, and a vetted Christian nonprofit associates program, funded primarily by corporate and faith-based sponsorships and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Community Events and Leadership Development

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Community leadership programs
• Faith-based events
• Nonprofit event management
• Prayer breakfast
• Charity fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships: Corporate and community sponsors provide financial support at various tiers including Gold ($3,500), Silver ($1,250), Faith Based Sustaining ($1,000), and various event-specific sponsorships ranging from $250 to $10,000 for the golf tournament title sponsor.
2. Event Tickets and Tables: Revenue generated from ticket sales and table reservations for the Annual Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast.
3. Golf Tournament Revenue: Golf tournament teams pay $1,500 per team, with additional revenue from mulligan purchases and hole sponsorships.
4. Donations: General donations and contributions from individuals and organizations supporting the foundation's mission.
5. Legacy Endowment: Endowment fund established in 2018, currently approximately $200,000, for supplementing staff compensation and ensuring Prayer Breakfast continuation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Charleston Leadership Foundation is a nonprofit organization that convenes and ministers to the Charleston-area Christian community primarily through annual in-person events. Its flagship offering is the Annual Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast, complemented by the CLF Legacy Golf Tournament, a Christian nonprofit vetting program (CLF Associates), and the Jerry and Lynn Young Legacy Endowment. The foundation also operates affiliated initiatives such as LifeWorks of Charleston and God in the Workplace for Christian professionals.

Product overview

Charleston Leadership Foundation (CLF) operates a nonprofit community organization centered around its flagship Annual Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast, established in 2002. The organization functions as a platform-plus-programs model, with the Prayer Breakfast as its marquee annual event complemented by the CLF Legacy Golf Tournament (established 2019), the CLF Associates Program for vetting Christian nonprofits, the Jerry and Lynn Young Legacy Endowment, and affiliated initiatives LifeWorks of Charleston and God in the Workplace. The organization also partners with the Post and Courier Good Cheer Fund for holiday assistance. CLF does not offer technology products, software platforms, or digital services—its offerings are entirely event-based and community ministry programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast CLF's flagship annual event bringing together Christian business and community leaders for fellowship, prayer, and inspirational testimony from nationally renowned speakers. Founded in 2002 and held each fall at the Charleston Area Convention Center.
• CLF Legacy Golf Tournament Annual golf tournament held in May at Bulls Bay Golf Club to support and raise funds for the Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast. Includes team registrations, hole sponsorships, and various sponsor packages.
• CLF Associates Program A vetting and promotional program that highlights and recommends vetted Christian or Christian-formed nonprofits serving the Charleston metro area. Selected associates receive exposure at the Prayer Breakfast, in newsletters, and at the May Sponsor Appreciation Breakfast, along with potential funding and volunteer support.
• Jerry and Lynn Young Legacy Endowment Endowment fund established in 2018 with approximately $200,000 in funds, dedicated to supplementing or providing staff compensation for planning and presenting the Annual Charleston Leadership Foundation Community Prayer Breakfast, ensuring the event's long-term continuation.
• LifeWorks of Charleston A conduit organization for Christian professionals to apply their faith in the marketplace through Bible teaching, quality programming, and quarterly events. Affiliated with Charleston Leadership Foundation and co-hosts a monthly Christian Business Event with the Prayer Breakfast.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 23,000 community leaders attended Prayer Breakfast over 20 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 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, legacy and minor.

• Post & Courier Good Cheer FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLF is a charitable agency of the Post & Courier Good Cheer Fund, assisting those less fortunate in the community over Christmas holidays. This partnership enables CLF to help identify needs and respond to them, aligned with their mission of answering prayers by answering needs.
• LifeWorks of Charleston / God in the WorkplacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeWorks is a conduit for Christian professionals seeking to apply their faith in the marketplace. CLF was an early supporter and continues to work closely with them on common initiatives. Together with the Charleston Leadership Prayer Breakfast, a Christian Business Event happens monthly.
• Be a Mentor (BAM)legacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAM was founded in 2004 as a division of CLF and established itself as its own 501(c)(3) in 2018. BAM enables youth to develop positive relationships with caring adults through mentorship.
• Lowcountry Orphan Relief (LOR)legacyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLOR was a division of CLF until 2006 and has since operated independently. Provides goods and services to children victim to abuse and/or neglect, having clothed over 30,000 children in the tri-county area since 2004.
• First Baptist Church of CharlestoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaith Based Sustaining Sponsor and partner church providing support for CLF events and initiatives.
• Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaith Based Sustaining Sponsor and partner church. Rev. Dr. Byron L. Benton serves on the Faith Advisory Committee.
• Seacoast ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaith Based Sustaining Sponsor and partner church. Pastor Josh Surratt serves on the Faith Advisory Committee.
• St Andrew's ChurchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaith Based Sustaining Sponsor and partner church providing volunteers for venue setup and other event support.
• Charleston Southern UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaith Based Sustaining Sponsor. President Keith Faulkner serves on the Faith Advisory Committee.
• Leadership FoundationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLF is affiliated with Leadership Foundations, a network of leadership foundations across the 50 states.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• National Christian Foundation: Large faith-based grantmaking organization that mobilizes charitable giving to Christian causes. Comparable because it channels donor capital to vetted Christian nonprofits via a similar vetting-and-promotion model, though it operates at national scale.
• National Prayer Breakfast Foundation: The flagship national version of the same model CLF operates locally. Comparable because it convenes political, civic, and faith leaders around an annual prayer breakfast with nationally recognized speakers — the scaled-up analog of CLF's marquee event.

Direct peers

• Leadership Foundations: National network of city-level leadership foundations that CLF is explicitly affiliated with. Directly comparable operating model — community-based prayer/leadership breakfasts, faith-spanning convening, and church/corporate sponsor ecosystems — and is the umbrella peer for CLF.
• Charleston Leadership Foundation affiliate network (e.g., Indianapolis Leadership Foundation, Nashville Leadership Foundation): Other city-level affiliates within the Leadership Foundations network run the same annual community prayer breakfast + faith-business convening model. They are the closest operational analogues to CLF, differing only by geography.

Regional players

• Community Foundation of Greater Charleston: Charleston-based nonprofit that vets, pools, and deploys charitable dollars to local nonprofits. Comparable geographically and structurally — both organizations curate and elevate vetted nonprofits in the Charleston metro area — though it earns investment returns rather than sponsorship revenue.
• Palmetto Family Alliance: South Carolina faith-based nonprofit focused on family and community from a Christian worldview. Comparable as a regional faith-aligned convener that engages churches, businesses, and civic leaders, overlapping CLF's target segments.
• Water Mission: Charleston-based international Christian nonprofit and 2025 Prayer Breakfast keynote speaker's organization. Comparable as a Charleston-rooted faith-based nonprofit that spun out of local Christian leadership energy and now operates at material scale.

Emerging players

• Be a Mentor (BAM): Founded as a division of CLF in 2004 and spun off as an independent 501(c)(3) in 2018. Comparable as a CLF-incubated faith-affiliated youth-mentoring nonprofit that still maintains a relationship via the CLF Associates Program.
• Lowcountry Orphan Relief (LOR): Spun off from CLF in 2006 after operating as a CLF division since 2004. Comparable as a CLF-incubated faith-based nonprofit that has clothed 30,000+ children in the tri-county area, evidencing CLF's nonprofit-incubation track record.
• God in the Workplace / LifeWorks of Charleston: Affiliated Christian business fellowship co-founded by CLF leadership. Comparable as a faith-based program that equips Christian professionals in the marketplace, operationalizing the same leadership and faith-convener thesis as CLF.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/charlestonleadershipfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charleston-leadership-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Charleston Leadership Foundation