The Porter Fleming Fund

12/17/2025

New on the Porter Fleming Fund blog: a look at how a grant supporting Saint Paul’s Church in Augusta helped turn a 275th-anniversary celebration into a lasting contribution to sacred music.

Through this project, original choral works were commissioned for Evensong: music that now extends beyond a single service and is available to churches and choirs around the world.

Read the full Project Showcase to learn how supporting the arts can preserve tradition while creating something new:

Celebrating a Deep Tradition and Craft at Saint Paul’s Church

11/03/2025

Applications for our 2026 Porter Fleming Fund grants are OPEN!
If you’re advancing arts, education, history, science, or culture in the CSRA, we want to hear from you.
Deadline: February 1, 2026.
Apply now at porterfleming.com/application

09/10/2025

Honoring Augusta’s Chinese American Legacy. In the heart of Augusta, a new historical marker now stands at 548 Walker Street: home to the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. Installed by the Georgia Historical Society, the marker tells the story of Augusta’s Chinese population. Beginning with the arrival of Chinese laborers in 1873 to expand the Augusta Canal, the marker recounts the Chineses immigrant experience in Augusta continuing through generations of merchants, community leaders, and families. Learn more here:

Honoring Augusta’s Chinese American Legacy

08/29/2025

Our new Organization Application document is live on the site! If you'd like to get a head start on your 2025 application, you can download it to begin prepping your application now! Don't forget that submissions will only be accepted via our online portal (which will reopen on November 1st).

The Application Period Has ClosedIt Will Re-Open on November 1st, 2025 Get a Head Start on Your ApplicationThe 2025 application form is now available! Download it to see what information you need to fill out your application and get a head start on preparing your submission. Submissions will only be...

03/13/2025

Art has the unique power to tell stories, preserve history, and unite communities—and the Harrisburg Portal in Augusta, Georgia, beautifully demonstrates this. Created by sculptor Larry Millard, this striking public sculpture at A.L. Williams Park was made possible through a grant from the Porter Fleming Fund.

The Portal contains artifacts contributed by local residents—bricks, bottles, tools, and everyday objects—each representing Harrisburg's rich history and vibrant spirit. It’s not just a sculpture, but a living connection between the community’s past, present, and future.

Read More: https://porterfleming.com/project-showcase/harrisburg-portal

Public art has the power to tell stories, bring people together, and preserve history in a way that words alone cannot. The Harrisburg Portal, a striking sculpture in A. L. Williams Park at the corner of Broad and Eve Streets in Augusta, Georgia, does exactly that. This community-driven project, cre

01/09/2025

Just one month left before the application period is closed! Don't forget to finish you application online or maill a physical copy before February 1st!

Apply Now Before the February 1st Deadline!

11/13/2024

In 1963, Berry Fleming, a noted Augusta author and artist, who served as a Trustee of the Academy of Richmond County, created the Porter Fleming Fund in honor of his father. Since then, the Porter Fleming Fund has provided many opportunities for individuals and organizations to pursue endeavors that foster creativity, historical preservation, and community engagement. By investing in the arts and education, the Fund ensures that Augusta’s rich cultural heritage is not only preserved but is also continuously evolving, offering future generations the chance to explore and expand their own contributions to our community. This long-standing dedication to the growth of Augusta’s intellectual and creative spirit reflects the enduring legacy of both Berry and Porter Fleming, whose vision continues to inspire.

11/13/2024

After receiving a grant from the Porter Fleming Fund, Springfield Village Park Foundation commissioned the documentary They Both Went Down Into the Water, which explores the untold history of Springfield Village, one of Augusta’s earliest African American communities. Springfield Baptist Church, founded in 1773, stands as a symbol of resilience and Augusta’s rich history, not only as one of the oldest Black churches in the nation but also as the birthplace of Morehouse College.

11/13/2024

The Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History and Conference Center's newly installed Frank Yerby Author’s Bench in the gardens of the Laney Museum was funded in part by the Porter Fleming Fund. The bench pays tribute to one of the great authors of the 20th Century, that Sly Fox, Frank Yerby. Born in Augusta, Georgia on September 5, 1916, he graduated in 1933 from the Haines Institute and 1937 from Paine College. During the course of his lifetime he published 33 novels, three of which, The Foxes of Harrow, The Saracen Blade, and The Golden Hawk, were adapted into major motion pictures. He sold nearly 60 million copies of his books worldwide and had 12 New York Times bestsellers.

11/13/2024

The Porter Fleming Fund has awarded a $50,000 grant to the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences to support the restoration of the Shoals Spider Lily (Hymenocallis coronaria), an aquatic plant native to Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama. The plant’s population has been declining due to habitat loss and overgrazing by deer. Since May 2023, the Phinizy Center team has been working on a comprehensive project that assessed habitats along the Savannah River, grew over 1,600 seeds in the Phinizy Center lab, and replanted the Shoals Spider Lily across the Savannah River.