Sustain SC awards first round of 2026 grants through Land and Water Action Platform

Sustain SC announced the first-round of 2026 grants awarded through its Land and Water Action Platform (LAWAP), to advance conservation projects across South Carolina in partnership with the state’s business community. In this round, LAWAP awarded $72,175 across six projects spanning six counties: Aiken, Colleton, Greenville, Hampton, Jasper and Lancaster. Funding will support land value costs and will cover real estate expenses that are often difficult to fund yet critical to moving conservation of land deals forward. In total, these awards will help protect almost 2,000 acres of land and water across South Carolina.

The Grants Review Committee completed the review process on March 31. Award recipients were notified the week of April 6, and funds will be dispersed during Earth Day week. “Announcing this third round of funding on Earth Day is especially meaningful,” said Leslie Skardon, CEO of Sustain SC. “As we enter the updated platform’s second connective year, we are proud to continue connecting corporate investment with the conservation needs of South Carolina. This work reflects the impact we can make when the public and private sectors work together to protect the natural resources that support our economy, environment and people.”

Since re-launching the Land and Water Action Platform in April 2025, Sustain SC has raised $400,000 and has completed three rounds of grant awards. Last year, $253,000 was awarded across 12 projects in 11 counties, protecting more than 13,000 acres of land and water. Sustain SC extends its gratitude to the Grants Committee members for their leadership and service through all three grant cycles and extends a special thank you to our LAWAP funders, AFL Global, Atlantic Packaging, Coca Cola Consolidated, Google, Norfolk Southern and Primo Brands, for their generous investments.

Applications are now open for the second round of 2026 LAWAP funding. The deadline to apply is July 31, 2026, with awards to be finalized by early September. Nonprofit organizations focused on South Carolina land and water conservation are encouraged to apply. More details and the application portal are available at Sustain SC’s Land and Water Action Platform webpage.

Through initiatives like the Land and Water Action Platform, Sustain SC continues to demonstrate that economic growth and environmental stewardship can work together to ensure a resilient future for South Carolina.