Berkeley County Greenbelt Program accepting applications for funding in 2025

Application Period: January 2 – April 30, 2025

The Berkeley County Greenbelt Program will begin accepting applications to fund Greenbelt Preservation projects starting Thursday, January 2, 2025. Eligible projects must support Greenbelt initiatives including, but not limited to, purchasing property for conservation and conservation easements, creating passive and active greenspace, protecting natural resources, protecting agricultural or heritage landscapes, and protecting scenic corridors.

Eligible Greenbelt Fund recipients include:

• Berkeley County or a municipality in Berkeley County;
• Any agency, commission, or instrumentality of the County or municipality within Berkeley County;
• A not-for-profit charitable corporation or trust authorized to do business in this State and organized and operated for natural resource conservation, land conservation, or historic preservation purposes, and having tax-exempt status as a public charity under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and having the power to acquire, hold, and maintain interests in land for these purposes;
• An agency or instrumentality of the United States Government; and
• Any other entities as may be approved at the discretion of County Council on a case-by-case basis.

Landowners in Berkeley County who wish to have property considered by donation or purchase with Greenbelt funds can apply by filling out a Notice of Intent (NOI) on the Berkeley County Greenbelt Program website. If the project is deemed eligible, the County will move forward as the applicant or work to help the landowner find suitable partners to move the application forward.

The deadline to apply for funding is Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at 5 pm. Applications must be submitted online. A link will be available on the Greenbelt Program website once the application period opens on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

The Berkeley County Greenbelt Program is funded by the 2022 One Cent Sales Tax Referendum. Ten percent of the revenue from the sales tax, or an estimated $58.7 million over seven years, will be used to finance Greenbelt initiatives.

For more information about the Greenbelt Program, contact Greenbelt Program Manager Nick Yoder at Nick.Yoder@berkeleycountysc.gov.