The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) welcomes Christopher H. McKinney, Sr., as its new Executive Director. With a distinguished career spanning 36 years, McKinney brings a wealth of experience from military service, civilian leadership roles, and entrepreneurial ventures. “SCRC is honored to welcome someone with demonstrated leadership and distinguished character as Executive Director,” said Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Federal Co-Chair of SCRC. “Mr. McKinney brings tangible experience from local and national communities that will prove beneficial to every aspect of our programs and throughout the expansive terrain of our seven-state region. Governor Henry McMaster, SCRC State Co-chair, said, “We are delighted to welcome Christopher McKinney as the new Executive Director of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission,” said Governor Henry McMaster, State Co-Chair of SCRC. “His commitment to collaboration and leadership experiences makes him a valuable asset in our ongoing efforts to enhance the economic prosperity and quality of life in the Southeast Crescent region.” Mr. McKinney will manage SCRC’s day-to-day operations, execute the five-year strategic plan, and implement the Commission’s grants and programs. He will also build relationships with key stakeholders across the region to ensure that SCRC programs align with local communities’ needs. He began his tenure as Executive Director on January 3, 2024, and will work out of the Commission office in Columbia, S.C. “I am honored to serve as the steward of the Office of the Executive Director at the SCRC,” said Executive Director Christopher McKinney. “Collaborating with the Federal Co-Chair and seven governors of the SCRC region is a privilege and a serious responsibility as the organization seeks to collectively elevate communities with long-standing economic challenges, a task that deeply resonates with me and aligns with my purpose.” Before joining SCRC, McKinney led 10X Leadership Consulting and served as the Executive Director of the Santee-Lynches Regional Council of Governments, where he demonstrated exemplary leadership and strategic vision. His extensive military background includes 30 years of dedicated service in the United States Air Force, contributing to his well-rounded and dynamic skill set.

States of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) Eligible for New Funding to Expand Broadband Access. (Columbia, SC) – The Biden-Harris Administration announced a new investment of $42.5 billion for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program . The program allocates funds to each state to deliver tangible broadband benefits to historically underserved communities. States in the footprint of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission stand to receive over $8.6 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which was distributed proportionally according to need: Alabama – $1.4B Georgia – $1.31B Florida – $1.17B Mississippi – $1.2B North Carolina – $1.53B South Carolina – $551.54M Virginia – $1.48B Program managers assigned to each state will work to ensure that the communities with the greatest need of the program receive services. Increasing access to high-speed internet lowers barriers to social and economic support, especially for isolated communities which need access to telehealth, virtual learning, e-commerce, high-paying jobs and more. “High-speed internet is critical in today’s world. This historic investment marks a turning point for all residents with the SCRC footprint, particularly those in underserved communities. With this investment, each state is empowered to build out the needed infrastructure to address existing gaps in coverage,” said Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Federal Co-Chair of SCRC. This investment is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal to connect all Americans to high-speed internet by 2030. Ultimately, the administration is poised to invest more than $90 billion to expand equitable and affordable internet access. For more information on the program, visit InternetForAll.Gov.

New Regional Commission invests millions to boost economic development in key states as part of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda (Columbia, SC) – The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) has announced grant funding through the State Economic and Infrastructure Development (SEID) grant program to revitalize and spur economic development across counties in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. A total of $20 million in funding, which includes $5 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), is available to fund a wide range of public infrastructure improvements and economic development projects targeting telecommunications, transportation, high-quality health care, access to affordable housing, business and workforce development, resource conservation and preservation, tourism and recreation. Investments will be directed by the Commission’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. Eligibility for the grant program is flexible to meet the needs of communities in the Commission’s footprint. State and local governments, political subdivisions of states, Federally recognized Indian tribes and nonprofits are all eligible to apply. The range for funding is from $50,000 to $500,000. “We are beyond thrilled to launch the agency’s first grant cycle in the participating states. These funds serve as a catalyst to grow our economy by building the future workforce, creating opportunities for growth and rebuilding infrastructure. These funds will be used to support locally-driven projects that will have a significant impact in spurring economic development while reducing the harm caused by poverty, unemployment, and outmigration,” said Dr. Jennifer Clyburn Reed, Federal Co-Chair of SCRC. Launching this grant program fulfills the statutory mandate of the Commission. SCRC is committed to supporting job creation, building communities and improving the lives of the 51 million residents in the region. “The projects we fund will create jobs and improve the quality of life in communities across the Southeast Crescent region,” said SCRC Executive Director Ashley Powell. “We are looking forward to hitting the ground running and addressing the urgent needs and concerns of residents, which will inform our programming and allow us to be targeted in our approach.” Pre-applications are due by July 21, 2023. The full application deadline is September 15, 2023. For more information on the SEID grant program, review the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) here.

The purpose of the 2023 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is to provide an overview and program and the specific requirements needed to complete an application.

The President’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget requests $20 million for the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC)’s essential work to combat persistent poverty.