Grants for Planning or Capital Projects in South Carolina

The funding opportunities below are open for applications. Let us know if you would like to explore one or more of these opportunities.

Provides grants for constructing and improving infrastructure facilities for eligible applicants statewide. Spring applications are due March 17, 2025.

• Basic Infrastructure, addressing health and environmental quality standards
• Economic Infrastructure, helping build capacity for economic development or support job creation.
• Infrastructure Planning, Small communities (up to 10,000 service population) are eligible to apply. Larger utilities located in Tier III or IV counties are eligible if addressing water quality regulatory violations.

Eligibility

Basic & Economic Infrastructure Grant: Assistance is available for a variety of water, wastewater and stormwater drainage construction activities. While RIA often prioritizes upgrades and improvements of existing infrastructure, extensions of lines and new construction activities are also eligible.

Infrastructure Planning Grant: Funds may be used for engineering, financial and other consultant costs associated with the preparation of studies and system assessments. Studies should assess technical, operational and/or financial conditions and evaluate the alternative courses of action in order to provide recommendations that will lead to greater long-term viability or regional solutions.

Eligible Applicants

• Local governments
• Special purpose and public service districts
• Public works commissions for planning, constructing, and improving infrastructure facilities statewide

Funding Limits

• Basic Infrastructure – Up to $1,500,000 request
• Economic Infrastructure – Up to $1,500,000 request
• Infrastructure Planning — Up to $250,000 based on the scope of work proposed

South Carolina Emergency Management Division

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on January 6, 2025, announced application and eligibility requirements for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) FY 2024 grant program. The application period opened January 6, 2025; applications will be due in the FEMA GO platform for SCEMD review by March 7, 2025.

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 FY 2024 notice of funding opportunity. BRIC grants require a non-federal cost share of at least 25% for most applicants (10% for small, impoverished communities as defined in federal law or Community Disaster Resilience Zones).

Available Funds

• For South Carolina, $2 million in state set-aside funding primarily for mitigation planning and feasibility/capability studies (projects will be ranked based on grant eligibility requirements and state-identified criteria).
• Another $2 million for eligible building code adoption and enforcement projects.
• $451 million in nationally competitive funding (good for large projects); project max of $50 million (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.

Our Grant Services

MRB Group helps identify, pursue, and maximize opportunities. Allow us to take on your grant research, writing, administration, and more in order to embrace your organizational strengths while opening possibilities. Every step of the way.

Heather Simmons Jones | Principal – Southeast Operations | 864.356.3012
Joy Simpson | Grants Analyst | 843.992.0275