Signage & Marker Grants

Official County 250 Committees, County Governments, Municipal Governments, Tribes, Museums, Historical Societies, Visitor Centers, Chambers of Commerce, Universities/Colleges, Non-Profit Organizations, Other SC Organizations. Please note that County and Municipal Governments may designate third-party recipients (i.e. non-profit organizations) to receive grants provided that the local government applies on their behalf and the Chief Elected Official of the local government signs the application. All applicants and signage locations must be located in SC.

Apply through the Discover SC Web Grant program making sure to include the following checklist:

• Register with the Discover SC Web Grant program – Please note this program manages all SCPRT and SC250 Grants. Pro Tip: When completing registration make sure to select SC250 – SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission under Program Area of Interest.
• Under Funding Opportunities make sure to select the correct grant – Agency: SC American Revolution Sestercentennial Commission Title: SC American Revolution Monthly Grants (or Major or Premier)
• General Information Form
• Cover Sheet Form
  • Make sure to select Signage & Marker Grant under Grant Type.
• Grant Narrative including Estimated Timeline & Anticipated Outcomes / Deliverables
• Assurances & Certifications
• Support Materials (*Required)
  • Contact Spreadsheet Click Here for a Sample Spreadsheet
    • Project Sponsor staff/members who would like to be added to SC250 enewsletter, etc.
    • VIPs to keep in the loop (Local Media, Elected Officials, Volunteers, Donors, etc.)
  • Fiscal Agent Documentation*
    • Fiscal Agent’s W-9 (make sure it is signed)
    • Fiscal Agent’s adopted budget for the current fiscal year
    • Fiscal Agent’s operating financial statement for last fiscal year
      • If the Fiscal Agent has just been established, some documentation to that fact
  • If the applicant or fiscal agent is a Non-Profit, we also need the following documentation:*
    • IRS 501c3 letter or 501c6 letter (not EIN letter but non-profit designation letter)
    • Secretary of State Annual Charity Registration letter (make sure it is not expired)
    • List of Board members
    • Mission of Non-profit
  • Letter of Support from your local SC County 250 Committee
    • SC250 would like to ensure that your County 250 group is in the loop when you are applying. We get more done together! Click Here for a list of contacts for the local county committees. Don’t see your county contact? Reach out to hhawkins@southcarolina250.com.
    • If you are a County 250 Committee, you can skip this attachment.
    • If you are not located in SC but are working on American Revolution in SC material, upload a document that states such.
  • Documentation of land ownership, lease, easement, or memorandum of understanding with landowner.*
  • Any documents describing signage or location.
    • If completed, please include: final verbiage, design of sign (historic marker or interpretive sign or directional sign), 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.
    • 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 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.
• Grant Application Budget
  • Eligible Costs:
    • Cost of legal advertisement in newspapers for the purposes of procurement or notice of public meetings
    • Professional “In-House” labor for the development of plans, not to exceed 20% of total project cost without prior SC250 approval
    • Historic Interpretive writing and research fees and peer review of signage verbiage
    • Professional map creation
    • Graphic design of signage
    • Royalty fees for image usage
    • Architectural/Historical/Engineering/Construction Management fees. The total of which may not exceed 12% of the total project cost without prior SC250 approval.
    • Site improvements including clearing, grading, etc. in preparation for the installation of signage
    • Signage production & installation costs for the site (both interpretive and directional or safety oriented)
    • Building materials, supplies, and specialty materials for construction
  • Not Eligible:
    • Please note that permit costs associated with construction are not eligible. Any construction or maintenance equipment and tools are not eligible.
  • Budget Best Practices:
    • Not all budget categories may be compatible with your grant type. Feel free to skip a section. For example: we do not expect to see land acquisition in the County 250 Organizing Grants.
    • If the grant request amount is part of a larger budget, please only include SC250 funding requests in each breakdown section.
    • Make sure to not exceed the total amount available for this grant type in the breakdown SC250 request sections. This up to amount is listed in the Amount section below.
    • The total budget could be larger if you have additional funding from other sources. If there are any additional funds in your total budget, document them in the Cost Share / Matching Funds section.)
    • Does your grant require a match? Checking out the Match or Cost Share Required section below.
    • If your grant does require a match, remember that the percentage is part of the total budget not 20% or 50% of your ask.
    • In-kind match can be documented to show support, however, it cannot be used in the formal match amount.
    • Personnel refers to staffing, while contractual refer to any person you are hiring for a specific task.
    • Administrative staffing should represent no more than 20% of the budget request.
    • Feel free to contact SC250 with questions at hhawkins@southcarolina250.com.
• Applicants are encouraged to submit early and/or contact SC250 to discuss.

Based on grant level. However, most Signage & Marker Grants are up to $10,000* / Project Sponsor

Monthly Grant FY25 Anticipated Deadlines: The first business day of each month at 3:00 P.M. Eastern
8/1/24, 9/2/24, 10/1/24, 11/4/24, 12/2/24, 1/3/25, 2/3/25, 3/3/25, 4/1/25, 5/1/25, 6/2/25
Major & Premier Grant FY25 Anticipated Deadlines: Quarterly at 3:00 P.M. Eastern
9/26/24, 12/13/24, 3/26/25, 6/26/25
All deadlines are not postmarked dates as all applications must be submitted in the Discover SC Web Grants program. Dates subject to change.

Monthly Grant FY25 Anticipated Award Dates: The first business day of the following month
Major & Premier Grant FY25 Anticipated Award Dates: 11/18/24, 3/17/25, 5/19/25, 9/16/25
Application responses can be award/fund, award/partially fund, not award, and requiring more due diligence for a final decision. More due diligence would, of course, delay a final award date if eventually approved. This is especially true with expensive site grants. Pro Tip: plan ahead and leave plenty of time between your application and the project start date.

Based on grant level. Monthly Grants do not require a match. However, match and partnerships are highly encouraged. Major Grants require a 20% match. Premier Grants require a 25% match. This is a % of the total budget (not a % of the ask).
Tip for figuring 20% match: Divide the grant request amount by .80 then multiple that number by .20.
Match can exceed match requirement amount.

Make sure to include details about those matching funds in your grant application budget. 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).

Competitive Grants will be distributed with 80% upfront and 20% reimbursement upon approval of completed final report including documentation of deliverables, measurement of success, and receipts/proof of payment showing the full grant amount plus any required match has been spent on the project.