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Lancaster County outlines $100,000 nonprofit grant plan; council suggests $15,000–$20,000 caps
Summary
County staff proposed a transparent application and review program for $100,000 allocated to local nonprofits. Proposed timeline: informational session Sept. 30, applications Oct. 1–Nov. 1, committee review in November and council awards in January 2026. Council member suggested per-application caps.
Lancaster County staff presented a proposed grant program for $100,000 the council allocated to local nonprofits and asked for direction on caps and the review process.
“We want to provide funding for eligible nonprofits through a transparent application and review process,” Miss Snowden said. The staff proposal calls for an informational session on Sept. 30, an application window from Oct. 1 to Nov. 1, committee review in November and recommendations to council in December, with awards approved by council in January 2026.
Eligible applicants would need to provide verification of 501(c)(3) IRS status, registration with the South Carolina Secretary of State, a list of board members and officers, and either a recent audit or the most recent annual budget. Applications would include a project narrative with measurable outcomes and a requested funding amount; staff would make applications available online and through the county’s grant manager.
An internal review committee would score applications on organizational capacity, community need, project feasibility and financial accountability and prepare funding recommendations for council. Council would vote on final awards and staff would notify applicants in writing.
Council member McGriff suggested a per-application cap to spread funds across multiple groups. “I think the cap should be right around 15, maybe, 15 to 20,” McGriff said, recommending $15,000–$20,000 per award so the $100,000 would be distributed among several organizations. Staff said the committee would consider caps and that unused funds could be reallocated if the committee determined a remaining award would benefit the community without reopening the process.
Staff said the program would not impose the stricter federal ARPA requirements on these local awards but would require basic documentation and post-award reporting. The county plans outreach similar to its ARPA nonprofit funding announcement, including media and targeted outreach to community partners.
