Sea Grant Consortium seeks $83,000 recurring for administration; federal 1:2 match remains in effect

Susan Lovelace, executive director of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, briefed the Senate Finance subcommittee on the consortium’s mission, membership and a modest recurring funding request.

Lovelace described the consortium as a multi-institution program that generates science-based information to support coastal residents, visitors and marine-resource management. She said the consortium is made up of Clemson, Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, Francis Marion University, Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina State, The Citadel, University of South Carolina and SCDNR, and noted the program is one of 34 Sea Grant programs nationally.

On finances, Lovelace told the committee the consortium received about $4,500,000 in federal money last year and is required to provide one dollar of match for every two federal dollars. "We are required to provide $1 to match every $2 of federal funds," she said, and explained that research institutions contribute by waiving indirect-cost recoveries on grants, which the program counts as matching resources.

The consortium’s 2025 request is an $83,000 recurring appropriation to fund an administrative assistant position in consortium administration. Lovelace said the House budget included the consortium’s federal funding amount but did not include the requested FTE. She also reported the program completed a six-year federal review in December and was recertified.

When senators asked about research collaborations, Lovelace described a biennial research competition that solicits proposals to address constituency needs and the consortium’s practice of assembling research teams to pursue external grants that meet coastal needs.

No vote or committee action occurred during the brief Sea Grant presentation.