The Municipal Association's Hometown Economic Development Grants support economic development projects that enhance the quality of life in South Carolina cities and towns. The grant program also promotes and recognizes innovation in economic development practices. Any city that is a member of the Municipal Association of South Carolina may submit a grant application. The maximum award per city is $25,000.
Grant dollars may be spent on professional services such as developing master plans; assets such as publicly owned water or sewer projects; and programs such as business incubators.
The chief evaluation criterion is the anticipated economic development impact, including the expected return on investment and the need for the proposed project. Other criteria include the proposal's level of innovation, sustainability, replication and measurability; the city's past record of success in completing similar projects; and the financial need of the city.
Cities must provide a grant match either in cash or through in-kind contributions. The required match is based on the applicant's population according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. For applicants with a population of 4,999 or less, the match is 5 percent of the award amount; for 5,000–9,999, the match is 10 percent of the award amount; and for those 10,000 and above, the match required is 15 percent.
Application Submission
Applications may be submitted by hand delivery to 1411 Gervais St., Columbia, SC, or emailed to sslatton@masc.sc no later than 5 p.m., September 30, 2016. Mailed applications must be postmarked by September 30, 2016, and addressed to:
Hometown Economic Development Grant
Municipal Association of SC
PO Box 12109
Columbia, SC 29201
Contact Scott Slatton at 803.933.1203 or sslatton@masc.sc with questions.