24FY Grant Programs

SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission (SC250) Grants support American Revolution in SC (1770-1783) education and cultural tourism projects. Available grant amounts are dependent on funding from the South Carolina State Legislature each year.

Review Panel Priorities

Two Grant Cycles in 24FY (July 2023 - June 2024)

Knowing that the Commission is managing funding from the public, SC250 will have to make some tough choices in selecting the more detailed projects with great partnerships and programs that fall specifically within the Commission's scope. With that in mind the Commission will be giving more time for application preparation and due diligence by only having two application cycles in 24FY (June 2023-July 2024).

All Cycles Subject to Change
24FY Grant Cycle 1
Deadline: September 26, 2023 at 3:00 P.M. Eastern
Award: November 2023 or early December 2023*

24FY Grant Cycle 2
Deadline: March 26, 2024 at 3:00 P.M. Eastern
Award: May 2024*

Pro Tip: plan ahead and give plenty of time between your application and your project start.

Working with internal and external reviewers, the Commission may respond to applications with the following:

• awarded / funded
• awarded / partially funded
• not awarded / not funded
• under further due diligence, *which would extend the award notification time.

The following entities are eligible for applying to SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission grants unless noted otherwise: Official County 250 Committees, Local Governments, Tribes, Museums, Historical Societies, Visitor Centers, Chambers of Commerce, Universities/Colleges, Non-Profit Organizations, SC Council of Governments, Regional Tourism Commissions, Other Select SC Organizations or Businesses in Public/Private Partnerships | Individuals are only eligible for Research and Publication Grants. Contact SC250 for clarification or exemption requests.

24FY SC250 Grant Programs

County 250 Organizing Grants
In an effort to insure that all counties across SC have Sestercentennial programming highlighting their unique role in the American Revolution, the SC250 Commission will be issuing a grant to each county to aid in the formation of their own County 250 Committee and kick start their efforts.

• Eligibility: Only Official County 250 Committees or a fiscal agent on their behalf
• Amount: $3,000/County | Non-Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadline: Accepting Applications Anytime Through May 7, 2024 at 3:00 P.M.
• Match or Cost Share Required: No. However, partnerships and cost share are encouraged.
• Grant Distribution: All upfront for Counties/Municipalities | Other Entities 80% upfront, 20% at completion of paperwork

Local Museum Style Panel Grants
To aid in connecting each community to their local SC American Revolution history, SC250 will be issuing grants for the creation of museum style panel displays, with the hope of customizing the panels to the local American Revolution history.

• Amount: Up to $5,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: No. However, partnerships and cost share are encouraged.
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

Local Activities Grants
These grants are intended to provide seed money for local Revolutionary War activities. This could include public art, performances, living history, presentations, or more. SC250 encourages communities to be creative and make their celebration unique to their community.

• Amount: Up to $10,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: Yes. 80% SC250 / 20% Grantee (20% is minimum, more encouraged)
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

County Asset Assessment & Historic Tourism Plan
SC250 wants to help the County 250 Committees plan the best way to utilize and showcase their assets. This 50/50 Matching Grant would pay up to $10,000 towards paying an expert to do an analysis of the American Revolution assets in the county, their condition, and a plan for monetizing these assets for ongoing Historic Tourism. The goal is to put these assets in place to have an impact long after the sundown of the Commission. The assets should still be telling our American Revolution story in SC and driving tourism for our communities long after the anniversary years.

• Eligibility: Only Official County 250 Committees or their County Government on their behalf
• Amount: Up to $10,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: Yes. 50/50 match (up to $10,000 from SC250, up to $10,000 from grantee)
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

Research Grants
SC250 sees this anniversary as an excellent opportunity to advance research in SC’s role in the American Revolution. There may be opportunities with academic, government, and commercial publishers for well-researched and written pamphlets and monographs, commercial and scholarly articles, and books associated with South Carolina’s 250th Anniversary. In addition to scholarly treatises there is a need for well-written and accurate consumer editions on many topics. Hopefully, some of these foundational research projects will be adopted for academic theses, dissertations, and other publications by independent scholars and authors. Anticipated end result can be a digital asset as long as research standards are met.

• Amount: Up to $10,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: No. However, partnerships and cost share are encouraged.
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

Publication Grants
To ensure that research and educational materials are available into the future, SC250 will be aiding in publication of SC American Revolution materials, both digitally and in print.

• Amount: Up to $10,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: No. However, partnerships and cost share are encouraged.
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

Education Grants
One of SC250’s goals is to help educate South Carolinians and visitors of all ages about the important role SC played in the birthing of our new nation. This starts with an emphasis on the many ways to share this info with our K-12 students.

• Amount: Up to $10,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: No. However, partnerships and cost share are encouraged.
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

Signage & Marker Grants
Whether interpretive signs at local parks or official state historic markers, there are a lot of locations that need signs about their American Revolution significance. SC250 also encourages marking 18th-century roads. The same road to the grocery store may be an old Cherokee trail or road to a British fort. We live among history and signs help us remember.

• Amount: Up to $10,000* | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: No. However, partnerships and cost share are encouraged.
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report

SC American Revolution Site Grants: Planning, Acquisition, Development, Renovation
SC250 believes that not only will new battlefield site developments, pull offs, and interpretation projects enhance cultural tourism during the anniversary, but also that these projects will have an impact into the future of their communities.

With hundreds of American Revolution people, places, and event needing to be recognized (over 400 battles and skirmishes alone in SC), SC250 is dedicated to the locating, marking, and interpreting of as many locations as possible in the upcoming years.

• Amount: Based on Merit | Competitive
• 24FY Anticipated Deadlines: Cycle 1: 9/26/23 Cycle 2: 3/26/24 (all 3:00 P.M. Eastern)
• Match or Cost Share Required: Yes. 80% SC250 / 20% Grantee (20% is minimum, more encouraged)
• Grant Distribution: 80% up front with 20% appropriated upon receipt of complete final report | Select acquisition projects may require 100% of grant be held in escrow by closing attorney.

All applications must be submitted in the online Discover SC WebGrants program.
Click Here for a Step-by-Step on Registering

*Grant funding is dependent on allocations from the State Legislature each year. SC250 may choose to fund, not fund, or partially fund applications. The Commission retains the right to make exceptions or alter the up to amount that can be approved for each grant. All information is intended to be a summary and subject to change. For full grant program details and requirements, visit the grant program's specific page or contact info@SouthCarolina250.com.