City of Isle of Palms opens application process for State Accommodations Tax Grants for Programs & Sponsorships

FY25 State Accommodations Tax Grant Applications Process:

The City of Isle of Palms is accepting applications from organizations wishing to receive grants from the 2% state accommodations tax fund.

South Carolina law allows for a 2% tax levy on the rental of all transient accommodations to help provide financial support to promote tourism and fund tourism-related activities in municipalities and counties within the state. Individuals staying overnight in hotels, motels, inns, and vacation rentals pay 2% in addition to the statewide sales tax and any local sales and use tax applied to their lodging cost. State law establishes that funds from accommodations taxes must be used to attract and provide for tourists and must be spent on tourism-related expenditures.

Applicant Workshop: The City will host a workshop on Friday, January 12, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The purpose of the workshop is to review application guidelines and criteria and assist potential applicants with completing the applications.

Application Deadline: The ATAX grant application must be submitted electronically to Nicole DeNeane, City Clerk, at nicoled@iop.net no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 2, 2024. 

Application: ATAX Grant Application available at iop.net.

Eligible Projects: Eligible projects include advertising and promotion, promotion of arts and cultural events for the attraction of tourists, construction, maintenance, and operations of facilities for civic and cultural events, public facilities and visitor centers.

Application Process: Applicants must review the application approved by the local ATAX Committee available here: Accommodations Tax Advisory Committee | City of Isle of Palms, SC (iop.net). Applications received by the deadline will be reviewed by staff for compliance with state law and these guidelines to determine eligibility. The applicants passing the initial review will be asked to make a presentation to the ATAX Committee.

Applicant Presentations: The presentations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., March 12, 2024.

The ATAX Committee will meet on April 16, 2024, to make grant award recommendations to City Council. The recommendations will be presented to City Council for inclusion in the FY25 Budget.

Application Timeline: