Grants awarded to improve 14 South Carolina communities 

Department of Commerce awards $8.9 million in Community Development Block Grant funds
Fourteen communities from across South Carolina are slated to benefit from public improvement projects supported by nearly $8.9 million in funds from the latest round of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The South Carolina Department of Commerce is awarding CDBG funds to these communities, representing more than 13,900 residents, for the following projects:

“The CDBG program has proven itself as a way to improve and empower our local communities, encouraging continued economic growth in those areas,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “To further attract businesses and new investment to all corners of our state, we need to preserve the remarkable quality of life that exists in each of our communities, and these public projects are a vital tool in doing just that.”

Approximately 83 percent of the funds awarded will directly impact residents in South Carolina’s Tier II, Tier III and Tier IV counties, which are not considered to be “developed.” The assistance provided in the developed Tier I counties will directly benefit low and moderate income (LMI) communities within those counties.

Commerce awards CDBG funds in the fall and the spring of each year. Selected through a statewide competitive process, local governments receiving CDBG funds are required to provide at least a 10 percent match in funding to complete the projects. Grant funds are allocated on an annual basis to South Carolina from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Commerce administers the CDBG program on the state’s behalf. CDBG assists communities in providing housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities.

All grants awarded through the CDBG program must meet at least one of three objectives:

• Benefit LMI persons.
• Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.
• Meet other urgent community development needs where existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to public health and welfare, and where other financial resources are not readily available to meet such needs.

For additional information on South Carolina’s CDBG program, including application guidelines and frequently asked questions, please visit www.cdbgsc.com.
About S.C. Department of Commerce
As South Carolina’s leading economic development agency, the Department of Commerce works to recruit new businesses and help existing business grow. Commerce has recruited world-class companies to South Carolina such as BMW, Boeing, Continental, Giti Tire, LPL Financial Holdings, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Toray and Volvo Cars and also supports startups, small and existing business, innovation and rural development initiatives. Commerce partners with the S.C. Technical College System via readySC to support workforce training and recruiting, and with the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, which provides worker training and employment opportunities within the state. IBM-Plant Location International reports in 2012, 2013 and 2015 ranked South Carolina first in the nation for attracting jobs through foreign investment. The state won the Gold Shovel Award and the Project of Year Award from Area Development magazine in 2012, 2014 and 2015. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.