Grant Recipient Guidance

Congratulations! If you are reading this page, you may have just received an grant award letter from the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) grant recipients. Through the award, the Commission hopes to form a partnership wherein we provide support to your project and in turn we learn more about and contribute to further telling the story of the Revolutionary-Era (1770-1783) in South Carolina. We share your goal to tell a more  inclusive story and capture history for the future.

We welcome stories, feedback, and candid lessons learned at any time. In order to ensure the smooth administration of the SC250 grant, please follow the best practices below and make sure to stay in communication with SC250.

Before funding can be issued, a grant agreement must be electronically signed in the Discover SC Web Grants program. A state vendor number will be required prior to the grant agreement.

• • Register as a “SC State Vendor” to be eligible to receive any grant funds. Visit https://procurement.sc.gov/ and check out the Doing Business with Us section.

• • Register with the State Treasurer’s Office for ACH Direct Deposit. This greatly speeds up any grant distribution. Visit https://treasurer.sc.gov/what-we-do/for-businesses/electronic-payment-information/.

Once you have officially been notified of the grant award, the fiscal agent/grantee should receive an email from the Web Grants system notifying them that the contract is ready for a signature. If not, please let SC250 know.

• • The fiscal agent/grantee must sign into the Web Grants system and electronically “sign” the document.

No work should begin prior to the award letter date nor before a grant meeting with the SC250 Grants Manager. For convenience, the SC250 Coordinator may hold virtual Webex meetings with all grantees from a grant cycle. Visit the SC250 webinars page to review the latest Guidance for SC250 Grantees briefing.

Read your grant agreement/contract closely and remember that often interpretation or publications must be approved by SC250 prior to going to print.

Once a grant agreement is signed by all parties, leave an estimated eight weeks for the first grant payment to be distributed. With the County 250 Organizing Grant, the grant award is 100% upfront when a county or city is your fiscal agent. For all other fiscal agents and for all competitive grants, the award is 80% upfront and 20% reimbursement at completion of report paperwork. The first payment will be disbursed once the grant agreement is completed and approved by SC250 and SCDAH staff.

Please keep in mind this cash flow when structuring vendor/consultant agreements. The last 20% is a reimbursement. This grant award final payment is different from any required match. Please reach out to SC250 with any questions or concerns.

While grants do not fall under state procurement, grantees should follow their fiscal agent’s local procurement policies. If the fiscal agent does not have written procurement policies, best practice is to look to state procurement rules for guidance.

• • For more about SC State Procurement, visit https://procurement.sc.gov/

• • Below are some state procurement paperwork basics based on total value of invoice (not just SC250 grant amount):

    • • Zero to $10,000.00

        • • Invoice (must show correct amount charged and payee)
        • • Proof of Payment

    • • $10,000.01 to $25,000.00

        • • Three (3) Written Quotes
        • • Invoice
        • • Proof of Payment

    • • $25,000.01 & Up

        • • SC Business Opportunity Ad or Copy of Public Advertisement (i.e., Local Newspaper Ad)
        • • Bid Specifications (relevant pages only, doesn’t have to be the entire package unless specifically requested)

• Keep Receipts & Documentation

  • Make sure to keep documentation for how all the state funds were expended (invoices and proof of payment). This could include receipts for purchase of materials, contracts and payment documentation for consultants, tear sheets from advertising, and/or pay documentation for administrative oversight pay. Don’t forget to get proof of payment from all third party vendors such as ad agencies.

Organizing and Monthly Grants do not require matching funds. However, cost share is encouraged. Major Grants require at least a 20% match. Premier Project Grants require at least a 25% match. Make sure to include details about those matching funds in your grant application budget. It is always great to show collaboration and buy-in from multiple entities on your grant application. This is especially true if your grant request is part of a larger project.

It is great to document on grant budgets in-kind match such as volunteer hours, food donated by the local merchants association, etc. This shows great local buy in! However, please keep in mind that in-kind donations cannot be used for required matching percentage.

Remember that final reports will require documentation that any required matching funds have been expended (invoices and proof of payment).

The SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission should be cited as a funder on any grant products.

• • Verbal Acknowledgement – Please remember that as a condition of your grant you are required to verbally acknowledge funding support from South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) at your program(s) or in audio/video content. You may wish to use the following statement:

    • • This program is sponsored (in part) by the South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission. SC250 was established by the SC Legislature to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary-Era and highlight the state’s significant role in securing America’s freedom by engaging and inspiring South Carolinians and visitors through heritage tourism, rural economic impact initiatives, and educational programs.
    • • Before your program starts, please check to see if any SC250 Commission Members or staff are present. If so, please recognize them.

• • Print Acknowledgement – Please remember that as a condition of your grant, you agree to credit South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) and display SC250’s name and logo in all publicity, printed materials, web sites, publications, films, television and radio tapes, exhibits, displays, and advertisements created in the course of a project funded by SC250 or used to promote a program for which SC250 has provided funding.

    • • For digital logos, click here to download high-res versions.
    • • We strongly encourage that you link your website to SouthCarolina250.com.

    • • The following wording shall be used in all publications or reports:

        • • The activity that is the subject of this (type of publication) has been financed in part with state funds from the SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250). However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of SC250, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by SC250.

Pro Tip: Receiving a grant is a great time to brag on your project, gain community or governmental support, and recruit volunteers.

• • Always follow graphic standards as established by SC250’s marketing team. Click here to review the toolkits used by the County 250 groups, which can also be helpful for all grantees.

• • Always get a photo release especially when involving children. Click the title for a sample of an organizational photo release, 18 & older photo release, minor photo release.

• • For press releases, click here for a sample press release or at least incorporate the following paragraph:

    • • The South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) was established by the SC Legislature to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary-Era and highlight the state’s significant role in securing America’s freedom. SC250’s mission is to celebrate and promote South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution by engaging and inspiring South Carolinians and visitors through heritage tourism, rural economic impact initiatives, and educational programs.

A semi-annual status report and a final report must be completed by grantees in the Discover SC WebGrants program. General grant report deadlines are listed below. Please check the status report component under your grant in WebGrants to confirm deadlines as some timelines have been adjusted or extended.

SC250 Commissioners and/or staff may make a pre-arranged “site visit” to check-in and see how we can aid your project. While labeled “site visits” these are often phone or virtual meetings and are completed by SC250 staff.

Dates of reports will be set based on your timeline. The dates are no later than dates but should be in the basic time period not months before. Report dates will change and/or be added to if a contract extension is approved.

Pro Tips:

• • Not sure when your reports are due? Check under status reports in your grant. The reports may already be started for you with all the due dates set.

• • Don’t see a pre-started report? Or, think your report due date should be changed due to contract extension? You can modify the report dates and/or Add Status Report.

• • Use the step-by-steps below.

• • Did you get an email from WebGrants about an upcoming “Site” Visit? This is simply a reminder to both SC250 staff and the Grantee that we need to do a check in. Are you on schedule for your next report? How can SC250 help you have the best project? If you get an email, you can go ahead and schedule a check-in with the Grants Manager, click here. Usually these are virtual and not in person, but they can be either.

• • And, as always, reach out if you have questions: 803-898-3392 hhawkins@southcarolina250.com.

The final report must include:

• • all receipts of how grant funding was spent (if invoice include proof of payment, etc.).

• • documentation of match funding if required by your grant type.

• • documentation of deliverables in the form of photos, reports, etc.

• • matrix of how success of the project was measured.

• • documentation of any admin overhead time if included in budget (sample timesheet).

• • documentation of travel reimbursement if included in the budget (sample travel reimbursement).

• • proof of payment for expenses.

Fellow Grantee Recommendation: https://www.camscanner.com/ for keeping receipts

Contact SC250 with Changes to Timelines & Budgets: Please contact SC250 prior to making changes to the grant timeline, scope, and/or budget. If you anticipate needing an extension or more than 10% changes in how your SC250 grant funding is allocated in the grant budget, please reach out to SC250 prior to report dates especially the end of fiscal year (usually May 15) date.

Heather Hawkins, SC250 Grants Manager
803-898-3392 | hhawkins@southcarolina250.com | or through the Web Grants program