Our Story

Champions for the changemakers:

Ripple is the Lowcountry’s nonprofit incubator – a collaborative workspace, meeting space, and event space.

Founded by the owners of Homegrown Hospitality, a local Charleston-based restaurant group, Ripple is designed to nurture collaboration and equip changemakers with the support, resources, and network they need to make sustainable, life-changing impact.

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Our Changemakers

“Ripple in still water
When there is no pebble tossed
Nor wind to blow
You who choose to lead must follow”

– “Ripple” by the Grateful Dead
written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”

– Mother Teresa

Our Founders

Mark Cumins and Jerry Scheer

Ripple was founded by Jerry Scheer, co-owner of the Homegrown Hospitality Group, which he started with his lifelong friend and business partner, Mark Cumins (of blessed memory) in 1985. It went on to grow over 25 restaurants with multiple concepts and is still going strong in Georgia and the Carolinas. Mark and Jerry always believed that “to give is to receive” and Ripple is a manifestation of that pervasive belief.

Many of the profits derived over the years from Homegrown Hospitality were used to establish Ripple to help nonprofits maximize their outreach in our communities.

Ripple is also involved in angel investments in various entities and hopefully when they become profitable, the profits will be funneled back into Ripple, allowing those monies to sustain the dozens of nonprofits working in the facility.

The ultimate goal of Ripple is to give each nonprofit a chance to fulfill their dreams and goals without the early financial anxieties of office space, boardrooms, internet, and how to afford a good cup of coffee.

JOIN RIPPLE

Does Your Nonprofit Need Support?
We Can Help.

Ripple removes the financial barriers startup nonprofits and social entrepreneurs face – providing space, resources, and mentorship in fundraising, outreach, and marketing. So you can focus on your mission – and be the change our communities need.

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Testimonials

Kind Words

Ripple empowers us to serve more of the community by way of Gullah/Geechee history, art, and tradition. Ripple has allowed us to flow more into our "why". Tenki Tenki Ripple!!

Elder Carlie Towne
Gullah Geechee Angel Network

Operating as a non profit can often feel like an isolating uphill battle. Being able to come to work everyday to an environment of support, collaboration, and a genuine desire to pour into our community completely changes attitudes and burn out rates among peers. Every day, something good happens here.

Alex English
Be A Mentor

A ripple is defined as a small wave or series of waves on the surface of water. At The Ripple Fund, the ripple has brought waves of hope to non profits. My Community's Keeper Mentor Group is grateful for the opportunity to share in this collaborative effort.

Keith Smalls
My Community’s Keeper Mentor Group

The work happening at Ripple is a true testament to teamwork and the power of togetherness. I am incredibly grateful for the connections we continue to make at Ripple and I know that the ripples of change through our interactions will continue to be felt for years to come!

Katie Stagliano
Katie’s Krops

Release Over 20 is extremely grateful for being part of the Ripple family. To have a state of the art physical meeting space at our disposal is an amazing asset and to be part of the network has been invaluable to our growth and development.

Adam Fahrar
Release Over 20

The Ripple Fund is a space that fosters community, collaboration, and innovation. Most of all, it has been a safe space where we can show up as we are without worrying about judgment, or comparison, or competition. We are very fortunate to be a part of it.

Erin Jones
Waves 4 Women