Cities and towns will have an opportunity in 2024 to pursue funding through the Municipal Association of SC Hometown Economic Development Grant powered by VC3, which funds projects that will produce measurable results, can be maintained over time and illustrate best practices that can be replicated in other cities.
Applications for this year’s grant cycle will open on July 18, during the Association’s Annual Meeting in Greenville.
South Carolina’s municipalities are eligible to obtain a grant once every two years, and since the program began in 2016, some municipalities have made successful HEDG applications more than once.
The City of Cayce is an example of a past grant recipient, receiving funds in 2021 for additional public art into the Cayce River Arts District, a key element of the redevelopment and growth of the city’s historic downtown.
The 2024 HEDG cycle will award as many as 12 grants of up to $25,000 each.
HEDG project proposals must make a positive, measurable and sustainable economic impact on a community. Some project types are excluded, as explained in the full eligibility rules on the application.
Those interested should apply online by Friday, September 27, at 5 p.m. The application and grant awards have several key requirements:
- The municipal council must pass a resolution in support of the grant application.
- Cities and towns that receive a grant must provide matching funds.
- Grant recipients must also submit progress reports and provide financial details about how they spent grant funds.
On July 18, officials can find the HEDG application and sample resolution online.
Cayce's River Arts District, including the City of Cayce Art Lot, was a beneficiary of
Hometown Economic Development Grant funds.