Awards

2025 J. Mitchell Graham/Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Awards

The J. Mitchell Graham/Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Awards recognize innovative projects completed by South Carolina’s counties during the past two fiscal years. Winners represent the best qualities of local governance—attention to details, service to citizens, efficient use of tax dollars, and improvement in the quality of life. They demonstrate how creative problem-solving and collaboration can achieve impressive results, and offer new ideas for other counties to consider.  Each project is judged on the written entry submitted via the online application form by the application due date and an in-person presentation before a panel of judges on the competition day. 

The J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Award recognizes counties that address community challenges, implement operational improvements or enhance their citizens’ quality of life in a unique way.

The Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Award highlights the growing need for regional partnerships, strategies, and solutions. Competition for this award is open to two or more political subdivisions (counties or county partnerships formed with city, town, district, or regional government organizations) that worked together on a project.

2025 Awards Program Information

The 2025 J. Mitchell Graham and Barrett Lawrimore Awards Competition will take place Sept. 9, 2025. The call for entries will go out via email in early May.  Applications are due by Aug. 11, 2025. The Awards Luncheon, featuring the announcement of winners, will be held Oct. 14, 2025 in conjunction with the Fall Advocacy Meeting. 

For more  information about submitting an entry for this year's competition, please visit the Awards Toolkit and Application webpage. 

Questions?

Contact Victoria Dixon at vdixon@scac.sc, or by calling 1-803-252-7255, ext. 115. 

Previous Award Winners

J. Mitchell Graham Memorial Award Winners

 Barrett Lawrimore Memorial Regional Cooperation Award Winners