Historic Preservation State Grant Fund

Historic Preservation State Grant Fund is sponsored by South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The Historic Preservation State Grant Fund supports historic preservation projects that benefit local communities and the public through the physical repair and rehabilitation of South Carolina's historic buildings with Planning Grants and Stabilization Grants.

State Grants | SC Department of Archives and History Historic Preservation State Grant Fund The purpose of the State Grant Fund is to support historic preservation projects that benefit local communities and the public through the physical repair and rehabilitation of South Carolina’s historic buildings.

Historic buildings, for the purposes of the grant, are buildings that are listed as a contributing resource in a National Register of Historic Places district, or listed individually in the National Register, or determined by the SHPO to be individually eligible for listing in the National Register. The historic building must be located in South Carolina.

The SCDAH awards grants in two categories: Planning Grants and Stabilization Grants . Applicants may submit an application for either one planning-related or one stabilization-related grant (not both) per funding cycle. Planning Grants are awarded to assist applicants in the development of conditions assessments and/or “bid-ready” plans and specifications that meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Reimbursable planning grants up to $50,000 will be awarded. No cash match is required. Stabilization Grants are awarded for “bid-ready projects” for the stabilization and weatherization of historic buildings.

Stabilization and weatherization, as a treatment, is the act or process of applying measures designed to reestablish the structural stability of an unsafe or deteriorated property and a weather resistant enclosure while maintaining the essential form as it exists at present. The stabilization and weatherization must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Reimbursable stabilization grants ranging from $40,000 to $200,000 will be awarded. A minimum 20% cash match of the Total Project Cost is required. A protective covenant, of either 5 or 10 years depending on the award, with SCDAH is required before the final reimbursement for stabilization grants.

Awarded funds are provided only as a reimbursement . These grants are not direct awards. SCDAH contributes its share and repays the grant recipient for eligible expenses through a reimbursement process.

Applicants must document that they have a minimum of 50% of the Total Project Costs on hand and designated specifically for the project and should be prepared to make whatever financial arrangements are necessary to ensure that project work is not delayed during the reimbursement process, which may take six (6) weeks. No work completed prior to the execution of the grant funding agreement will be eligible for reimbursement.

The State Grant Fund is a competitive grant program. Application does not guarantee award. Successful award one year does not guarantee award in future award years.

Grant awards are subject to the annual availability of funds from the State of South Carolina. Funding is based on the state fiscal year, July through June. Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Federal or State recognized Native American tribes.

Eligible applicants must be located in South Carolina, must have tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or be an entity of local government, must be registered with the South Carolina Secretary of State’s Charities Division, and must be incorporated and serving the public for at least five (5) consecutive years prior to the submission of the grant application.

Eligible applicants must own and hold the deed to the historic building for which they are applying.

Overview Presentation of the Application (PDF) 2026-2027 Application Guidance (PDF) 2026-2027 State Grant Fund Application (PDF) 2026-2027 Application Checklist (PDF) Please review the Guidelines (pages 2 to 8 of the Application) for more information about the Applicant Requirements, what Grant Funding Will Support/ Will Not Support, and the Grant Selection Criteria and Review.

Completed applications for the 2026-2027 grant cycle must be received by 5:00pm Wednesday, September 2, 2026. This is not a postmark deadline. Late applications will not be considered.

We strongly encourage applications to be submitted electronically . If possible, please combine application and attachments into one PDF. The electronic file(s) name should include the name of the historic property.

Electronic Submittal Directions: Send a PDF of the signed copy of the application and all attachments electronically via email or online file transfer service to sgf@scdah. sc. gov .

Application files submitted via email may not exceed 35MB file size. Applications with file size exceeding 35MB should be delivered via an online file transfer service. For additional questions or assistance with your Historic Preservation State Grant Fund Application, please send an email to Alee2@scdah.

sc. gov . SCDAH staff will be glad to schedule consultations, review drafts of applications, or talk through proposed projects and ideas.