Undiscovered SC Grant

Undiscovered SC Grant Program

The Undiscovered SC grant program is designed to assist communities with the development of publicly owned tourism products and attractions that will encourage visitation to South Carolina.

What is Undiscovered SC?

Undiscovered SC represents the largely unknown and under-utilized travel experiences that can be found throughout South Carolina. It is the untapped tourism potential of a developing destination and its historic, cultural, or recreational attractions. Undiscovered SC is comprised of towns, cities, and counties that often lack the individual resources to reach their potential as travel destinations. The Undiscovered SC grant program is designed to help communities realize their full tourism potential by investing in publicly-owned tourism attraction projects that, once completed, will generate increased visitation and visitor spending.

Through the Undiscovered SC program, SCPRT will assist in the creation or expansion of viable tourism products with the potential to add value to their communities. The grants can help cover the implementation of existing plans and the expansion or enhancement of existing tourism product. This grant program represents an exciting new dimension of support for tourism product development in our state.

The applicant must be a county or municipal government with Accommodations Tax distributions of $1,250,000 or less, according to data released by the SC State Treasurer’s Office. View the SC Accommodations Tax Distribution Table for FY 2024-25 here.

For more details about the program, please read the following:

The 2026 cycle opens on May 20, 2026! Apply online.

The Undiscovered SC grant process is managed in our online portal, Webgrants. To register for an account, click the “Click here to Register” button on the Webgrants homepage. Choose Undiscovered South Carolina in the Program Area of Interest dropdown box.

Pre-Applications (Letters of Intent) will only be accepted through Webgrants and must be submitted by Friday, June 26, 2026, at 4 p.m.

2026 Undiscovered SC Grant Schedule

Pre-Application Announcement | May 20, 2026
Webgrants Pre-Application Deadline | June 26, 2026
Applications Released in Webgrants | June 29, 2026
Webgrants Application Deadline | August 21, 2026
Application Reviews | August 24 – September 21, 2026
Application Review Deadline | September 21, 2026
Notification of Awards | October 2026
Signed Grant Agreements | October/November 2026

Additional forms and information for Project Sponsors:

For more information, contact Debbie Jordan at djordan@scprt.com or 803-734-1658.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I’m not sure if my project is eligible for the Undiscovered SC grant?

We highly encourage interested applicants to contact our Grant Administrator, Debbie Jordan, at djordan@scprt.com or 803-734-1658 to discuss details of your project before submitting a pre-application. Having this discussion before application submission can help you better understand what elements are allowable and can help you prepare a better application.

How does the application process work?

You must first submit a pre-application to determine if you are an eligible applicant and if your project is an eligible project. If both are yes, the final application will be released at the designated time. All applications are managed through Webgrants.

What information should be in my letter of commitment?

This is usually provided through a municipal or county council resolution. Since this is a reimbursement grant, the resolution should include that the grant is understood to be a reimbursement grant, funds are available to cover all expenses up front, the source of funding, when the funds will be available, and if there are any restrictions or conditions for the use of the funds. Any other method for a letter of commitment can be discussed with Debbie Jordan, Grant Coordinator.

What type of funding can I use for match?

You may not use other state general appropriations funds or in-kind as match. You may use any local or county funds, A-Tax, donations, local bonds and state and federal grants.

Is this grant up front money?

The Undiscovered SC grant is a reimbursement grant program. You must provide documentation of eligible expenses to be reimbursed at an agreed upon rate, which is usually up to 50% of the estimated expenses or a maximum of $200,000.00, whichever is less.

Can I apply if I am a non-profit or for-profit organization?

Applicants must be a county or municipal government with Accommodations Tax distributions of $1,250,000 or less. Non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.

Can my application include design, architecture, and engineering?

This can be included in the eligible budget, but it cannot be more than 10% of the total project cost and cannot be the only element in the budget. There must be a construction element in the budget, and the project has to be completed and open to the public at the end of the grant period. **During the scoring & evaluation process for the applications, project planning and readiness will be evaluated. Most projects that already have design, architecture, and engineering complete may score higher in the evaluation process.

How long will I have to complete my project?

All elements must be completed and open to the public within 24 months.

When can I begin my project?

No activity can begin before execution of the grant agreement between SCPRT and the applicant, which includes advertisement of bids and signing contracts with contractors. The project must start, or have verifiable activity, within six (6) months of the Date of Award of the grant.

If I already have an open Undiscovered SC grant, can I apply for another project?

All funded Undiscovered SC grant projects must be successfully closed before being eligible to submit another application.

What if I don’t own the property for my project?

The Undiscovered SC grant program requires that the property being developed be owned in Fee Simple Title for the project to be eligible for the grant program.

How long must my project remain open to the public once the grant closes?

The duration of the project agreement period for projects is twenty (20) years. During the project agreement period, the grantee may not transfer the rights, privileges, or obligations of the agreement to any other organization without the written approval of SCPRT.

Does SCPRT conduct inspections after the grant closes?

Yes, SCPRT will conduct an inspection every five (5) years to make sure the project remains 1) open to the public; 2) being used as intended; 3) is attractive and inviting to the public; 4) the repair and upkeep of structures and equipment is adequate; and 5) that fees/charges appear to be reasonable.

What is the required procurement process?

The grantee is required to follow the State’s procurement code, unless you can demonstrate that your local code is more restrictive. If you choose to follow your own code, you must document how the code meets or exceeds the State’s procurement code. This includes the procurement of professional services (example: engineering or architectural services). To be eligible for reimbursement, the procurement cannot take place before the Undiscovered SC grant award is signed and returned to SCPRT. Documentation of the entire procurement process will be reviewed and approved by SCPRT prior to any grant reimbursements being issued. Failure to provide documentation showing that you followed State Procurement guidelines (or that your guidelines are more stringent) will result in your activity being declared ineligible for reimbursement by the Undiscovered SC grant program.

What if my project goes over budget?

Because Undiscovered SC grant funds are limited, all funds are awarded each grant year. If your project goes over budget, you will be responsible for overruns. We cannot accept requests for additional funds.

For travel, tourism and leisure news, visit our News section.