Palmetto Promise Institute
| Palmetto Promise Institute | |
 | |
| Basic facts | |
| Location: | South Carolina |
| Top official: | Wendy Damron, president and CEO |
| Website: | Official website |
| Connections | |
| State Policy Network | |
Palmetto Promise Institute is a think tank based in South Carolina. Its mission is to "promote policy solutions to advance a free and flourishing South Carolina, where every individual has the opportunity to reach their full, God-given potential."[1]
Background
The institute was founded in 2009 and reinstated in 2013 by Jim DeMint.[2]
As of August 2025, the website for Palmetto Promise Institute listed the following mission statement for the organization:[1]
| “ | We promote policy solutions to advance a free and flourishing South Carolina, where every individual has the opportunity to reach their full, God-given potential.[3] | ” |
They also list the following values:[1]
- Finding Common Ground: Building trust and establishing relationships with South Carolinians of all backgrounds.
- Best Practices: Performing rigorous research and thorough analysis to explain what’s working in public policy, both here and around the country, and why.
- Policy Entrepreneurship: Promoting innovative policy solutions that are grounded in the principles of freedom and equal opportunity and communicated with respect and kindness.
Palmetto Promise Institute is a member of the State Policy Network, whose website describes itself as working "to catalyze thriving, durable freedom movements in every state, anchored with high-performing independent think tanks."[4]
Leadership
As of August 2025, Wendy Damron was the institute's current CEO.[5]
As of August 2025, the following individuals were members of the Palmetto Promise Institute's board of directors.[5]
- Dan Adams
- Louie L. Cason Jr.
- Jim DeMint
- Richard Gilder III
- Van Hipp
- Phil Hughes
- Stu Rodman
- Rick Timmons
- Barry Wynn
- Jeff Yelton
Work and activities
Legislative and policy activity
Palmetto Promise Institute conducts research and advocates for policies in five areas: education, energy, healthcare, quality of life, and tax and budget.[1] As of August 2025, items in their policy agenda include expanding "access to high-quality options for parents in every zip code," pairing "budget reforms with a new tax code that creates fairness for hardworking South Carolina citizens," and getting "out of the failed, state owned energy business."[6]
The institute publishes press releases, multimedia, and blog posts related to its policy areas of focus.[1]
Artis Ware Center
As of August 2025, the institute operates the Artis Ware Center for Education Opportunity, which "works to advance educational excellence and hope for every South Carolina child."[7] The center publishes data on South Carolina school districts, publishes research on education issues and maintains a blog.[8]
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.
Finances
The following is a breakdown of Palmetto Promise Institute's revenues and expenses for the 2020 to 2023 fiscal years, according to documents submitted to the Internal Revenue Service.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 About Us "Palmetto Promise Institute" accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ DeMint-backed Policy Forum Touts New SC Direction "The State" archived March 10, 2015, accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ State Policy Network , "About," accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Palmetto Promise Institute , "The Palmetto Team," accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ Palmetto Promise Institute , "Freedom Agenda," accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ Palmetto Promise Institute , "Artis Ware Center for Education Opportunity," accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAWS - ↑ 9.0 9.1 Internal Revenue Service , "Palmetto Promise Institute 2023 990 Form," accessed August 13, 2025
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Internal Revenue Service , "Palmetto Promise Institute 2021 990 Form," accessed August 13, 2025
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