South Carolina Business and Commerce Grants

This grant provides funding to local organizations, community groups, and schools in the Inland Empire region of South Carolina to support projects that protect and restore native plant populations while educating the public about their ecological importance.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that enhance tourism and visitor experiences in Columbia, South Carolina, through projects and events that align with state tourism-related purposes.

This program provides funding to neighborhood organizations in Richland County for projects that improve community life and engage residents, without requiring a match or volunteer hours.

This grant provides funding to arts and cultural organizations in Greenville County to support projects that benefit the community through enhanced cultural tourism, artist support, and increased audience access.

This funding opportunity provides up to $5,000 to South Carolina law enforcement and code enforcement agencies to improve litter prevention and enforcement efforts.

This funding opportunity supports South Carolina organizations focused on anti-litter initiatives, encouraging collaboration and community involvement to reduce litter and promote environmental stewardship.

This grant provides funding to South Carolina municipalities, litter control organizations, and community groups for litter removal projects, especially in areas that are challenging for volunteers to access safely.

This funding opportunity supports innovative and impactful projects by nonprofit organizations in South Carolina that address community needs in health, education, social services, and cultural affairs.

This grant provides $10,000 to exceptional individual artists in South Carolina to recognize their artistic achievements and support their creative endeavors.

This grant provides financial support and mentorship to emerging artists in South Carolina to help them develop their artistic practice and advance their careers.

This funding opportunity supports South Carolina artists in launching or enhancing arts-based business initiatives that promote career satisfaction and sustainability.

The South Carolina Arts Commission is offering the ArtsNOW Schools Advancement Grants of $10,000 to $100,000 over three years to ArtsNOW Partner Schools in South Carolina, to support arts integration, professional learning, curriculum mapping, and planning through innovative practices.

This grant provides financial support to new and existing small businesses in Abbeville, South Carolina, to promote economic growth through startup costs, business improvements, and building enhancements, particularly in the Historic District.

The Beaufort County Accommodations Tax Board is accepting its State ATAX grant applications from organizations in Beaufort County wishing to receive grants from the two percent (2%) state accommodations tax fund. Donor Name: Beaufort County Government State: South Carolina County: Beaufort County (SC) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/13/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: South Carolina law allows for a 2% tax levy on the rental of all transient accommodations to help provide financial support to promote tourism and fund tourism-related activities in municipalities and counties within the state. As a result, individuals staying overnight in hotels, motels, inns, and vacation rentals pay 2% in addition to the statewide sales tax and any local sales and use tax applied to their lodging cost. Eligibility Criteria Non-Profit Organizations are eligible to apply For grants.  For more information, visit BCGSC.

The Anderson County Watershed Protection Council is offering grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 for projects that protect or restore water quality in the Savannah River watershed, increase citizen awareness, and empower communities to collect and share water quality data, with priority given to proposals closest to the spill site.

Systems Change grants are intended for organizations that work to influence and guide change in structural factors and related systemic/ policy issues that have created, reinforced, or exacerbated poverty in South Carolina. Donor Name: Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina State: South Carolina County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  07/30/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Organizations that qualify for this category of funding are addressing one or more of the structural factors associated with poverty in SC and have identified specific barriers/ issues within that structural factor that their work intends to disrupt, reduce, or eliminate. Funding Information Organizations should request the amount that meets their needs and will make the most impact on the proposed program, taking into consideration the median grant size for grants in this focus area is typically $15,000-$20,000. Eligibility Criteria  Organizations that qualify for this category of funding are addressing one or more of the structural factors associated with poverty in SC and have identified specific barriers/ issues within that structural factor that their work intends to disrupt, reduce, or eliminate. The organization brings diverse people together to learn about the whole system and its parts more clearly and coordinates a range of interventions. The organization works collaboratively across sectors, including but not limited to federal, state and local governments, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, funders, the business community, and the constituents being affected. The goals and strategies of the organization are long-term and based on extensive research, planning, evaluation, continuous learning and integration of diverse perspectives. Clear evidence exists that the organization has immersed itself in understanding what is holding the structural problem in place before tackling the problem. Examples of nonprofits that are funded for these grants are: organizations conducting research that can undergird systems-level change; organizations informing government policy that will result in more effective and equitable practices for people experiencing poverty in South Carolina; and/or organizations engaging in advocacy and/or collaborative work to create innovative solutions that propel systems change, addressing structural issues that currently affect the health, safety, and/or economic mobility for people experiencing poverty. For more information, visit SCFSC.

This program provides financial assistance to business owners and tenants in Newberry's historic downtown to improve the appearance of their building facades, promoting preservation and aesthetic enhancement.

Anderson Water Council is now accepting applications from the plaintiffs for the protection and remediation of Anderson County water resources. Donor Name: Anderson Water Council State: Georgia, South Carolina County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/29/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: The Anderson County Watershed Protection Council is to assist Savannah Riverkeeper and Upstate Forever in identifying, prioritizing, and funding projects that empower citizens to take action on existing and emerging threats to water resources and to restore water quality in the Savannah River watershed’s impacted areas. The Water Council is particularly interested in funding projects that empower local communities to collect and share water quality data publicly Funding Information Average individual grant awards range between $10,000 to $50,000 for citizen empowerment and education projects, and up to $100,000 for water restoration projects, with occasional opportunities for multi-year awards, when necessary, not to exceed three (3) years. Eligibility Criteria  Entities eligible for grant funding include:  A not-for-profit charitable corporation or trust authorized to do business in South Carolina or Georgia  whose mission aligns with the goals of the Anderson Water Council. The Georgia and South Carolina Department of Natural Resources; Forestry Commissions; Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Educators, municipalities, and school systems in the impacted areas. Any agency, commission, or instrumentality of such a municipality. For more information, visit AWC.

Continuous Improvement Grants of up to $25,000 will focus on the three amplified areas in the Foundation’ vision statement by which all Spartanburg County residents can reach their human potential quality of life, educational achievement, and economic mobility. Donor Name: Spartanburg County Foundation State: South Carolina County: Spartanburg County (SC) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/10/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: Focus Areas Quality of Life This area addresses opportunities to improve the overall well-being of Spartanburg County residents through access to community and cultural programs, activities, and green spaces; improvement of physical and mental health with cultural competence; and access to resources that provide household stability. Examples of these opportunities may include, but are not limited to: Community/cultural programs, physical activities that strengthen health and well-being, outdoor spaces accessible to the community Care for uninsured adults and children, Spanish speaking staff, programs to address mental health needs for diverse populations Mobile food markets, rent/mortgaging assistance, utility assistance, home repairs Educational Achievement This area is focused on reducing barriers to academic success and improving the educational achievement of Spartanburg County residents through supportive services and programs for K-12 students, access to post-secondary education and careers, and opportunities for return-to-learn adults. Examples of these opportunities may include, but are not limited to: Mentoring, out-of-school-time programs, summer learning/learning loss prevention Internships, programs for first-year college students GED completion, internet access, books and other academic materials Economic Mobility This area is focused on improving the potential for upward economic mobility in the Spartanburg County community through increased ability for financial self-sufficiency, opportunities for asset building, and access to affordable and reliable transportation. Examples of these opportunities may include, but are not limited to: Job training/certification, job search/placement, financial coaching Small/minority business development, home ownership assistance programs Supplements for transportation costs, transportation programs for rural areas, ride sharing Project Period Grants from the Spartanburg County Foundation are for a period of one year. Eligibility Criteria The Spartanburg County Foundation only considers organizations and institutions that are recognized as 501(c)(3) nonprofit and/or tax-exempt entities providing services to residents of Spartanburg County, South Carolina. Institutions and organizations located outside of Spartanburg County may be eligible for funding; however, funding is restricted to benefit Spartanburg County residents only. Organizations that serve multiple counties must clearly show impact in Spartanburg County and that the funds will remain in Spartanburg County. Organizations must comply with all applicable local, state, and federal non-discrimination laws and policies. The Spartanburg County Foundation seeks to support organizations who can demonstrate the following: Alignment with the Foundation’s mission and vision. Services that help Spartanburg County residents achieve their human potential. Data-informed responses to one or more of the three Continuous Improvement areas (Quality of Life, Educational Achievement, & Economic Mobility). Comprehensive measurement and evaluation tools that track organizational and programmatic outcomes. Potential to leverage funding from multiple sources. For more information, visit SPCF.

The CATALYST Grant aims to enhance the capabilities, efficiency, and competitiveness of small and medium-sized manufacturers in South Carolina by promoting the adoption of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), Quality Management Systems (QMSs), and Lean Manufacturing tools. Eligible manufacturers must have a NAICS code beginning with 31, 32, or 33, be physically located in South Carolina for at least one year, operate within the Department of Defense supply chain, and employ at least four workers. The grant supports consultative assessments to identify opportunities for AMT deployment and funds pilot projects in areas such as augmented reality training, digital work instructions, and robotics. The grant application opens on October 5, 2023, following an informational webinar, and closes on June 30, 2024, or when all slots are filled. The grant provides funding for projects recommended by AMT assessments, as well as QMS and Lean Manufacturing implementations to help manufacturers eliminate waste and reduce rework, improving their effectiveness as DIB suppliers.