Land and Water Action Platform
Empowering land conservation projects throughout South Carolina.
Protecting South Carolina’s natural heritage is vital to preserving the state’s rich biodiversity, forests, water resources and ecosystems.
From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Lowcountry marshes, South Carolina is home to an array of abundant, diverse natural resources. This is one of the reasons so many people want to do business here and call our state home.
South Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the nation and is projected to double in population during the next 50 years. This is why Sustain SC and our corporate members are acting now to grow a new source of funding, the Land and Water Action Platform, to be one of the the primary corporate funding sources for land conservation in South Carolina.
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By investing in land and water conservation across South Carolina, together we can safeguard the environment while strengthening local economies and communities.
Sustain SC’s Land and Water Action Platform enables nonprofit organizations who conserve land to:
✔ Protect critical lands
✔ Preserve scenic vistas
✔ Maintain healthy watersheds
✔ Ensure access to green spaces for future generations.
By overcoming financial barriers to land protection, these investments help preserve the natural beauty and ecological integrity of South Carolina for future generations.
2026 Grant Application Cycle
Round 1 Quarterly Applications close February 20, 2026.
Applicants will be notified about awards the week of April 6, 2026.
Round 2 Quarterly Applications close on July 31, 2026.
Applicants will be notified about awards the week of September 8, 2026.
Going forward, LAWAP will accept SC Conservation Bank applications.
If you are applying with a Bank application, please apply using the link below. If you are not using a Bank application, please apply with the link above.
2026 grant applications are open!
Download the Application Eligibility Criteria/Guidelines below to see if your project meets the application requirements.
Questions about the grant applications?
Please contact the SVP of Conservation, Kristen Austin Gunter at Kristen@Sustainsouthcarolina.org
LAWAP 2025 Year in Review
Since re-launching the Land and Water Action Platform in April, 2025, Sustain SC has raised $325,000 for the fund and completed two rounds of grant awards, supporting real estate expenses that are often difficult to fund yet critical to moving conservation land deals forward.
In total, LAWAP awarded $252,900 across 12 projects in 11 counties, helping to protect more than 13,000 acres of land and water in 2025—demonstrating the impact we can make when South Carolina’s business and conservation communities work together. Thank you to our 2025 LAWAP investors Atlantic Packaging, AFL, Coca-Cola Consolidated, Google, Norfolk Southern and Primo Brands.
Read the full LAWAP 2025 Investor Report to explore the year’s grant rounds, impact and the conservation outcomes made possible through the Land and Water Action Platform.
Thank you to our generous investors:
BECOME AN INVESTOR
By becoming a LAWAP contributor, you play a direct role in protecting South Carolina’s most treasured natural landscapes for future generations. Your support helps remove financial barriers to critical conservation projects that preserve wildlife habitats, clean water and public green spaces across the state.