SC Aeronautics Grant Management
How to apply for and manage an SCAC Airport Development Grant
Updated: August 14, 2025
This page provides background information and step-by-step instructions on how to apply for one of the many Airport Development (AD) grants offered by the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission (SCAC) as well as the acceptance, management, and closeout processes.
Information on the types of Airport Development (AD) can be found here.
Application:
Current Grant Application Forms can be found here.
Airport Development (AD) Grants are issued to the Sponsors (owners) of publicly owned Airports in South Carolina for their development and maintenance.
Unless the grant is needed to address an urgent, emergency situation, the project associated with the grant request must be:
consistent (i.e. – not conflict) with the current Airport Layout Plan (ALP),
included on the current Airport Capital Improvement Plan (ACIP),
included in the SCAC’s current Fiscal Year Master List of Airport Projects.
While these documents may be updated as needed from time-to-time, annual ACIP updates typically are coordinated and submitted during the October – November time frame. This process involves consultation between:
The Airport Sponsor and their Planning & Engineering Consultant
The SCAC AD Staff
The FAA ADO Staff (Planning and Engineer)
Generally, projects that will generate revenue, such as hangar buildings or fuel farms are not eligible for State participation (even if eligible under the AIP). There are, however, related project components that may be eligible for State participation:
Fuel Farms – Related site work and pavement exclusive of the Fuel Farm itself and its foundation may be eligible for State participation.
Hangar Buildings – Related site work beyond the footprint of the building and below the foundation as well as utilities may be eligible for State participation.
AD project types include:
Planning
Design
Construction
Equipment
Maintenance
Land Acquisition
AD Grants may be submitted for consideration by the Aeronautics Commission throughout the year. They should be submitted electronically in the .pdf format as an email attachment to the Director of Airport Development along with supporting documentation. A Grant application consists of:
A signed Project Grant Application (.pdf)
Project information and Justification Statement
Request-for-Aid / Project Sketch / Project “before” site images
Bid tabulation (Construction projects) or appropriate cost data
Professional Services Work Authorization / Task Order
Copy of signed Federal Application Form 424 (if this request is associated with an FAA AIP /
AIG Grant)
Copy of executed Federal AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT AGREEMENT (if the request is
associated with an FAA AIP / AIG Grant)
Other considerations to keep in mind:
SCAC Grants associated with an AIP / AIG Grant shall not be considered for approval until the Federal Grant has been issued.
Use current, approved application forms with relevant backup information (such as Task Order copies, Request for Aid sketches, Bid tabulations, Project description / justification, Images, Price quotes, Copies of associated AIP Grant applications, etc).
Grant amounts should be rounded down to the whole dollar (i.e. - $1.00 / no cents).
Grant amounts should reflect actual project costs, not estimates.
Grant applications must be signed by a Sponsor representative who is authorized to financially commit the agency (County, Municipality, Commission, District, etc).
Grant applications are due to AD Staff two weeks in advance of the scheduled Commission meeting date at which they will be considered.
A Sponsor representative shall be present at the Commission meeting in which the grant application is being considered. The representative should be knowledgeable of the project for which the grant funding is being sought as well as the current status of Airport Safety Data Inspection (ASDI) discrepancy correction.
Acceptance:
Once an AD Grant Application is approved by the Aeronautics Commission, a Grant Number is assigned and the Grant Offer package is prepared and sent to the Airport Sponsor / Grantee for execution.
The Grant Offer package consists of:
A Grant Offer Letter
Two original copies of a Grant Agreement that includes grant assurances
Once received, the Grant Agreements should be reviewed and signed. No changes to the Grant Agreement are permitted. The Grant Agreement requires signature in multiple locations:
Signature by the person authorized to accept the Grant on behalf of the Airport Sponsor,
Signature by the person authorized to accept the provisions of the Grant Assurances,
Signature by the Attorney reviewing the Grant Agreement on behalf of the Airport Sponsor.
If the Grant is for construction activity by a Non-SCAC Contractor, an Affidavit of Non-Collusion will be included and must be executed as well.
One of the two executed, original package copies is returned to SCAC and the other executed original copy is retained by the Airport Sponsor / Grantee.
Grant offers shall be accepted within 60-days of the date of the offer. Otherwise, the grant offer may be revoked and funds reverted to the State Aviation Fund.
Management:
Grant-funded projects must commence within one year of the execution of the Grant. The receipt and payment of invoices / pay applications and submission of at least one Request for Reimbursement (RFR) is considered appropriate proof of project activity.
There is no SCAC requirement for quarterly Requests for Reimbursement (RFRs). RFRs may be submitted periodically throughout the life of the project. It is recommended that at least one RFR package be submitted each 12-month period during the life of the project.
In order to facilitate prompt review and processing of RFR Packages, please use current versions of the SCAC Forms available on our website.
An RFR Package consists of:
A completed RFR Form (.pdf)
A completed Project Invoice / Pay Application Summary (.xlsx)
Copies of Invoices / Pay Applications (.pdf)
Copies of Proof of Payment (.pdf)
Proof of Payment may be in the form of:
Two-sided copies of cancelled checks
Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) receipt copies
Bank statement copies
Ancillary documents like Purchase Order (PO) copies or redundant Proofs of Payment (i.e. – Bank Statements in addition to copies of cancelled checks) tend to slow down the staff review process.
Throughout the life of the project, deliverables (such as plans, specifications, engineer’s reports, bid tabulations, exhibits, images, studies, inspection reports, project punch lists) should be submitted to the AD Staff in order to document progress.
Unless it is unavoidable at project closeout, RFR packages should reflect amounts in excess of $500.00.
Closeout:
Grants expire four-years after issuance and, if still open, must be closed out immediately thereafter.
Submission of the final RFR Package should follow submission of all other project deliverables.
In the case of AIP / AIG funded projects, please submit a copy of the Federal Grant closeout report(s) to SCAC Staff.
As a reminder, for Master Plan and ALP Update projects, per Title 55, ALPs shall be signed off by the SCAC Executive Director.
Once the final reimbursement payment has been made to the Airport Sponsor, a written notification of closeout of the grant will be provided to the Grantee.
At grant closeout, any unexpended grant funds will revert to the State Aviation Fund.
Financial records associated with the grant should be maintained by the Airport Sponsor for a minimum of three-years.