Signage & Marker Grants
Grant Overview
One of the available grant types is the Signage & Marker Grant. The SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) believes that not only do interpretive signs, directional signage, and markers recognize the significance of SC people, places, and ideas in the American Revolution; these signs also aid the cultural tourism that will be enhanced by 250th anniversary marketing and curiosity.
Grant Details
Grant Requirements
- All Projects should feature significant American Revolution Era people, places, events, or ideas particularly in their connection to SC.
- Interpretive materials require the highest standards of scholarship, balance, and documentation.
- All locations must be verified through research and archaeology.
- The Project Sponsor will supply its proposed Budget and Timeline to completion
- The research must cite the SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission.
- All signage applications must include proof of property ownership, lease, or easement agreement for the signage location.
- All signage must follow SC Dept. of Transportation regulations.
- All new signage should be listed with ArchSite and SC Institute for Archaeology & Anthropology.
- Project Sponsor shall provide all project management.
- During the agreement period (through 2033) the Project Sponsor must ensure that the terms of the agreement are kept, that maintenance will be performed on a regular basis and signage remains available to the public. During the project agreement period the Project Sponsor may not transfer the rights, privilege, or obligations of the site without approval from SC250.
- Post Completion Responsibilities: Upon notification from the Project Sponsor through a final report, SC250 will be responsible for making a site inspection of the site prior to final grant payment.
- In the event that any portion of this agreement is applied to leased property, the Project Sponsor must provide SC250 with a copy of an adequate lease to the subject property prior to the first billing request. If the lease is terminated for any reason prior to the expiration date of this agreement, the Project Sponsor agrees to relocate any improvements developed under this agreement to another site which would be open for public use. Any and all expenses for real estate, relocation and/or other expenses will be borne by the Project Sponsor.
- Any interpretive panels:
- must be designed in collaboration with SC250 and the SC Battleground Preservation Trust signage and consistent with these entities’ other signage. Final approval from SC250 is required before production.
- should feature significant local Revolutionary Era people, places, events, or ideas.
- should be engaging and graphically rich.
- must be accurate, sources fully documented, or called “tradition” or “legend”.
- must display SC250th Commission’s and SC Liberty Trail’s logos.
- use only images, wording, design, and layout to which the grantee has permanent rights.
- In addition to standard local histories, applicants are encouraged to also tell their Revolutionary Era stories from non-traditional points of view, such as (but not limited to) Loyalist – Women – Children – enslaved and free African Americans – Native Americans.
Key Questions
- Type of Project – the restoration of an existing sign, placement of a new sign, updated interpretation of the site, marking 18th century roadway, directional signage, etc.
- Topic of Project
- Plan for Interpretative Writing
- Plan for Design
- Plan for Installation or Restoration
- Plan for Documentation – Is it already listed or do they have plans to list the location on ArchSite, SCIAA, SC state marker program, and/or National Register of Historic Places?
- If the activity is part of a larger project, briefly describe those plans to provide context for how this application satisfies a certain section of a larger endeavor. However, make sure you are clearly defining what deliverables will be the end result of this grant funding if approved. What scope of work is part of this application? Activities funded by grants must retain a focus on the American Revolution in SC and creatively provide for audience involvement or access to materials.
Additional Notes:
- Grant approval from SC250 does not include guaranteed State Marker program nor the National Register of Historic Places acceptance as SC Department of Archives & History (SCDAH) runs both of those programs separately. However, this grant can be used to pay fees, manufacturing, and installation of a state marker if approved through the SCDAH program.
- This program does not guarantee being listed on the Liberty Trail as that is a separate program run by the SC Battleground Preservation Trust (SCBPT) and the American Battlefield Trust. However, this grant could potentially be used for creating signage at a location to help prepare a site for being added to the Liberty Trail if approved by SCBPT.
- Signage location should be “visitable” by the public at the completion of the project (or as part of plan for the site).
Additional Documents
- Any documents describing signage or location.
- If completed, please include: final verbiage, design of sign, type of sign (historic marker or interpretive sign or directional sign), and location.
- If determined, information on peer reviewer and/or historian contributing to verbiage.
- If determined, photos of location, site map of property with County Map #, GIS Shapemap of property, etc.
- Documentation of land ownership, lease, easement, or memorandum of understanding with the landowner.*
- If these items are not ready, know that they must be submitted to and approved by SC250 prior to ordering. And, these items will be required in the final report.
- Any documents describing Deliverables (could concept drawings, event publicity plan, promotional copy, etc.)
- Any other documents that support your request. For example: if planning on using grant funds to pay a consultant, submit resume and/or sample works of consultant if already selected / REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) if not.
Apply Today
If you’re ready to submit your Signage & Marker Grants application, click on the link to register with Discover SC and begin the application process.
Grant Recipient Guidance
If you’ve received your grant award, this is your basecamp for additional information and next steps. From doing business with the state, to setting up your grant meeting and receiving grant funding and all the way into best practices for fiscal guidance, marketing and reporting. We have you covered here.
SC250 Webinars
The South Carolina American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) each year hold a series of webinars to help counties get organized, groups apply for grants and opportunities to learn more about the amazing role South Carolina played in the founding of our nation.
Grants Webinars
Webinars to help counties and groups get organized, apply for grants, and explore opportunities to learn more about the amazing role SC played in the founding of our nation.
Grant Basics Guidelines
A quick guide to grant programs, grant types, funding levels, eligibility and all the rules for the current year’s grant opportunities all in an easy to ready downloadable document.
Applicant Support Guidance
Ready to start planning your grant application? Look no further than our applicant support guidance page which provides step by step instructions and host of links to get you started.



