Grants

County officials and employees may find the following resources helpful when searching for grant funding and low-interest loans. Any specific questions concerning these resources should be directed to the specific agency. 

News

SCDOT Notification and Letter of Support Request When Submitting Federal or State Grant Applications or Earmark Requests

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) owns and maintains approximately 97% of the federal-aid eligible highway system in South Carolina. SCDOT also coordinates a comprehensive regional planning process with the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Councils of Governments (COGs) to identify transportation projects to benefit the unique requirements of South Carolina’s communities. Maintaining integrity of the State Highway System and existing transportation planning process is essential to effectively apply for and administer awarded competitive grants and/or earmarked funds. 

To that end, political subdivisions must coordinate with SCDOT at least 45 calendar days before submitting a state or federal grant application or earmark request if any of the following apply: 

  • The project impacts the State Highway System;
  • The project impacts the coordinated statewide transportation planning process;
  • The project impacts SCDOT operations;
  • Project impacts to SCDOT, the State Highway System, or coordinated statewide transportation planning process are unknown; or
  • A Letter of Support is being requested.

The Grant/Earmark Synopsis form must be completed in its entirety and provided to SCDOT at least 45 calendar days before submitting a grant application or earmark request. 

Failure to adhere to the 45 calendar day requirement may result in a lack of grant or earmark support from SCDOT. 

Please return the fully completed form and reach out to Roxanne Ancheta, Director of Grants, at AnchetaRM@scdot.gov or (803) 737-1232 with any questions. 

Applications

SCDOT 2026 TAP Letters of Intent Accepted April 10 to May 8

SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will host an SC Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) Workshop Thursday, Apr. 9 at 10 a.m. at SCDOT headquarters in Columbia (955 Park Street). The workshop will also be available via live-stream for those who cannot attend in person. Information on how to view the live-stream will be available on SCDOT's TAP website closer to the workshop date.

SCDOT will accept Letters of Intent for the 2026 Spring TAP Round April 10 - May 8. The new Letters of Intent form will be available on SCDOT's website starting April 10. 

FY 2026-27 Historic Preservation Fund Grants - Applications Due May 7

Applications and instructions for the FY 2026-27 federal Historic Preservation Fund subgrants are now accessible online. Administered by the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, these matching grants assist two types of projects:

  • Survey and Planning Projects: eligible projects include surveys of historic properties, National Register nominations, preservation education, and preservation planning.
  • Stabilization Projects: eligible projects include stabilizing historic buildings or protecting historic buildings from the adverse effects of the weather, and are limited to projects located in South Carolina’s Certified Local Government (CLG) communities.

Any local government, non-profit, or institution in South Carolina may apply for a Survey and Planning Project. Local governments, non-profits and institutions located in a CLG community may also apply for a Stabilization Project. At least 10% of the state’s annual allocation from the National Park Service must be awarded to CLGs. Grant awards generally range from $2,500 to $35,000.

Please contact Brad Sauls at 803-896-6172 or bsauls@scdah.sc.gov to discuss your project before you apply.

FEMA Announces $1 Billion in Federal Funding to Help State Mitigate Impact of Disasters - Application Deadline July 23

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today application and eligibility requirements for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) 2024 -2025 mitigation grant program. This is a new round of the formerly on-hold BRIC grant program.

Mitigation projects are designed to reduce future risk and harm from natural hazard events, from mitigation planning and project scoping to large-scale projects to improve resilience of public infrastructure. See more information, including eligible project categories, in the BRIC 2024 & 2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity. BRIC grants require a non-federal cost share of at least 25%.

South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) will offer applicant briefings to provide information on BRIC eligibility and the application process. The application period opens March 25, 2026; applications must be submitted by SCEMD in the FEMAGO platform by July 23, 2026. SCEMD’s timeline for BRIC applicant briefings, application submissions, and final state review will be disseminated as soon as possible.

Available funds:

  • For South Carolina, $2 million in state set-aside funding (projects will be ranked based on grant eligibility requirements and state-identified criteria)
  • Another $1 million for eligible building code adoption and enforcement projects
  • $757 million in nationally competitive funding (good for large/regional projects); project maximum of $20 million federal share (projects will be selected based on federal criteria and a national review panel)

Applications require detailed information about the proposed project, including budget, timeline, scope of work, and other specifics, so interested counties, local governments, and state agencies are encouraged to begin working on applications as soon as possible. Submitting a pre-application in SCRecoveryGrants.org is an option but is not required given the short application period for this grant opportunity. SCEMD mitigation staff are available to answer questions and provide assistance in submitting a BRIC project application.

Those interested in participating in a BRIC applicant briefing should email mitigation@emd.sc.gov to receive login information. If your jurisdiction or agency wishes to schedule an in-person briefing, contact the SCEMD mitigation team.

Resources

National

U.S. Department of Agriculture

State