In 2011, the Belle W. Baruch Foundation expanded its mission to include the conservation of both natural and cultural resources, opening the way for an additional research institute on Hobcaw Barony’s property in 2017.

On November 9, 2017, Francis Marion University, Coastal Carolina University and the Belle W. Baruch Foundation entered a research and education partnership for work at Hobcaw Barony. The purpose of the Belle W. Baruch Institute for South Carolina Studies is to engage in the study and research of the cultural, historical, and archaeological heritage of South Carolina, to present educational programs, and to foster education about the relationship between humans and the coastal environment of South Carolina.