Contact: Susan Lovelace, Executive Director
CHARLESTON, S.C. (September 10, 2025) – In response to federal funding uncertainty for the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program, a community-based network of 34 programs located across U.S. states and territories, the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium received an outpouring of support from our stakeholders, the communities we serve and South Carolina State legislators. We extend special gratitude to all our supporters in South Carolina and beyond who signed letters—we are privileged to have 305 signatures and comments from across the state joining the chorus of voices on the map of Sea Grant Supporters that was presented to our Congressional delegation.
Thank you also to our fellow Sea Grant Programs for their efforts to respond to this uncertainty as a united front, and to our legislators for their invaluable assistance in ensuring the future of the Sea Grant program in South Carolina. Federal Congressional and Senate committees have expressed their support for the Sea Grant Network nationwide and have released initial budget proposals to maintain federal funding for the 2026 federal fiscal year (FY), starting Oct. 1, at the same level as FY 2025. We are very pleased with Congressional support that proposes to at least maintain steady Sea Grant funding. Sea Grant continues to receive strong bipartisan support, and we look forward to continuing to carry out our work and demonstrate the value South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium provides to the State.
“South Carolina’s coastal communities are the backbone of our state, which is why we fought to ensure the Sea Grant College Program funding level would be included in the FY 2026 budget documents. Additionally, we helped support them through the complex federal grant process. S.C. Sea Grant Consortium delivers real results and makes our coast stronger, safer, and more resilient. We’ll keep fighting to make sure every dollar helps protect our coast, our waterways, and the communities depending on them.” – South Carolina State Congresswoman Nancy Mace.
“We thank Congresswoman Mace and Senator Graham and their offices for their continued support of Sea Grant. Before the recess, we were so thrilled to see both House and Senate Appropriations Committees FY 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science bills fund the Sea Grant College Program at $80 million and the Sea Grant Aquaculture Research Program at $14 million—equal to the amounts Congress appropriated in FY 2024 and carried through in the FY 2025 Continuing Resolution. Continued funding to the network allows state community-based programs to leverage each other’s work for all of our coastal communities.” – Susan Lovelace, Executive Director of the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
About the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium
The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, a university-based state agency, generates and provides science-based information on issues and opportunities to improve the social and economic well-being of coastal residents while ensuring the optimal use and conservation of marine and coastal natural resources. The Consortium is a member of the nationwide network of 34 Sea Grant Programs, which are part of the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program, U.S. Department of Commerce. For more information about the Consortium, visit www.scseagrant.org.
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