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Committee details $1M Brownfields request, energy grant proposals and VOAD staffing plan
Summary
Staff told the resilience committee it has applied for a $1,000,000 Brownfields coalition grant, submitted energy office applications for audits and EV chargers, and arranged Trident United Way to be fiscal sponsor and employer of a VOAD program manager.
Charleston County staff reported multiple grant efforts and a reorganization of voluntary-organizations coordination during the committee’s December meeting.
Speaker 2 said the county is seeking a Brownfields Coalition grant asking for $1,000,000 over a three-year performance period; the county would serve as fiscal agent and distribute funds to municipalities that lack grant-management capacity. "We're asking $1,000,000 for this grant," staff said.
On energy grants, staff said two applications were submitted to the state energy office: an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) proposal to fund 18 additional energy audits and at least 10 residential home modernizations, and a $50,000 mini-grant to install five electric-vehicle chargers at county facilities (Azalea Complex and the social services hub), where conduits are already installed.
Speaker 2 also updated the committee on weatherization work under the EECBG project: 12 energy audits have been completed and the program aims to reach 20 audits; eight homes will receive weatherization, after which the team will measure post-work energy savings with a goal of a 12% reduction on the follow-up audit.
The voluntary organizations active in disaster (VOAD) work is moving from county administration to a community-led structure supported by Trident United Way. Speaker 2 said Trident United Way will serve as fiscal sponsor under an MOU and that the organizations have agreed to share a VOAD program manager with the county and emergency management to maintain continuity.
Why it matters: the Brownfields request, the energy audits and weatherization work, and the VOAD staffing arrangement are intended to expand capacity across municipalities and to channel federal/state funding into resilience projects that small towns may not otherwise be able to manage.
Next steps: staff said the Brownfields application is due on Jan. 20 and expects to hear on energy grants early next year; the committee will monitor applicant screening for weatherization work and coordinate public communication with PIOs.
