Funding Our Future

How Beaufort County Can Fund Infrastructure Improvements - And What Joshua Hower Will Do About It Starting Day One

A Policy Brief from Joshua Hower  |  Candidate, Beaufort County Council District 5  |  U.S. Army Veteran  |  Okatie Resident

May 2026

"The federal money exists. The eligibility exists. What's been missing is a councilmember willing to go get it."

The Short Version

Here's What This Is About

The roads in District 5 are behind. The water and sewer systems are being stretched by growth they weren't built for. Our stormwater drainage wasn't designed for the flooding we now see every storm season. And the schools in the Okatie corridor are running out of room.

None of that is news to anyone who lives here.

What might be news is this: there are federal and state grant programs — right now, with money allocated and applications open, that Beaufort County is eligible for and has not fully pursued. This brief explains what those programs are, what they're worth, and what a District 5 councilmember can do about them starting January 2027.

This is not a list of wishes. Every program in this brief is real, currently funded, and verified. Every action item is something a single councilmember can initiate through a letter, a motion, or a budget request. No miracles required.

At a glance:  6 verified federal and state programs  |  $15M–$35M realistic first-term leverage potential  |  First action costs nothing and requires no Council vote  |  All programs currently funded and open to Beaufort County

The Finding That Matters Most

▶  A Documented Case of Money Left on the Table

In October 2024, the Lowcountry Council of Governments (LCOG) completed and adopted a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan covering Beaufort County. The plan was approved by the LATS Policy Committee on October 4, 2024, and by the LCOG Board on October 24, 2024.

That plan is the single required document to unlock the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Implementation Grant, a federal program administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation that has distributed $3.9 billion to over 2,000 communities nationwide across FY2022–FY2025. Individual awards range from $5 million to $25 million or more, directed at road safety improvements: intersection redesigns, signal upgrades, pedestrian crossings, turn lanes, and lighting.

Beaufort County has been fully eligible for SS4A implementation funding since October 2024. The FY2026 application deadline is May 26, 2026. As of the date of this brief, there is no public record of Beaufort County submitting an SS4A implementation grant application in the FY2024 or FY2025 funding rounds.

The plan is done. The eligibility is established. The federal money is available. The county has not applied.

That is what leaving money on the table looks like, and it is documented, not speculative.

A note on authority: Joshua Hower is a candidate, not a sitting councilmember. He cannot submit this application, only the current County Council and County Manager have that authority, and they still have time to act before the May 26 deadline. What this finding establishes is a pattern: a county that is eligible for major federal infrastructure funding, that has not built the internal capacity to pursue it consistently, and that needs a councilmember willing to treat grant pursuit as a core governing responsibility from Day 1.

Why the County Keeps Missing These Opportunities

It's a Structural Problem, Not a Personnel Problem

The staff capacity gap. Beaufort County has one grants staff position, housed in the Finance/CFO division. That role is focused on managing and staying compliant with grants the county has already received, not on proactively identifying and applying for new programs. This is not a criticism of the person in the role. It is a description of how the function is structured, and that structure has a cost. Federal grant programs require months of preparation: benefit-cost analyses, preliminary engineering, partner agreements, and community data. That work doesn't happen without someone whose job it is to do it.

The local match problem. Nearly every federal infrastructure grant requires a 20–25% local match. The most common reason eligible counties fail to win competitive grants is not a weak application, it is showing up without committed match funds. If Beaufort County can't answer the question "where's your 20%?" before the application is submitted, the opportunity is gone. Right now, no dedicated infrastructure match reserve exists in the county budget.

What fixing both looks like. A contracted municipal grant writer specializing in federal transportation and infrastructure programs costs $60,000–$80,000 per year. A single successful SS4A implementation grant is worth $5–25 million. An annual Infrastructure Match Reserve of $2 million in the county budget, drawn from C-Fund surplus, general fund, or developer proportionate-share payments, could leverage $6–10 million in federal funds annually. These are not large investments relative to what they unlock. They are the prerequisite for everything that follows.

Structural Gap	What It Costs the County	The Fix	Estimated Fix Cost
No proactive grant development capacity	Applications never prepared; deadlines missed	Contracted federal grant writer	$60,000–$80,000/year
No committed local match reserve	Eligible applications disqualified before scoring	Annual Infrastructure Match Reserve	$2,000,000/year
Total annual investment needed	Leverage potential if both fixes are in place		$6–10M/year in federal funds

What Starts on Day One

Six Programs. A Realistic Plan. A Specific Timeline.

The following programs are the Day-1 targets for a District 5 councilmember taking office January 2027. Each is verified, currently funded, and within reach. Each includes an honest assessment of how likely a successful outcome is.

Program 1  |  Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)

A federal formula program that pays for road safety improvements, not a competitive application. SCDOT selects projects based on documented crash data.

Award Potential	Federal Share	Local Match	Success Likelihood
$500,000–$5 million per project	90% federal	None required in most cases - SCDOT provides the state share	70–80%

Why that likelihood is honest: This is the highest-probability program in this brief. It is not a national competition. If the crash data at a nominated location meets SCDOT's benefit-cost threshold, the project gets funded.

▶ Day-1 Action

Within the first 30 days in office, write formally to SCDOT District 5 requesting a safety study of the SC 170/Callawassie Drive intersection, documented by the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office as the most dangerous in the county. No budget required. No Council vote required. A letter with crash data attached.

▸ Bottom line: The first action that costs nothing and has the highest chance of resulting in a federally funded road improvement.

Program 2  |  Safe Streets and Roads for All - SS4A Implementation Grant

A U.S. DOT competitive grant that funds road safety infrastructure directly to counties, no SCDOT intermediary required. Beaufort County is already fully eligible thanks to LCOG's October 2024 Safety Action Plan.

Award Potential	Federal Share	Local Match	Success Likelihood
$5 million–$25 million or more	80% federal	20% local - must be committed before application	50–60%

Why that likelihood is honest: For a well-prepared application from an eligible county with documented crash data, 50–60% is realistic. The LCOG Safety Action Plan has already cleared the single biggest eligibility hurdle. The 20% local match must be committed in the county budget before the application is submitted.

▶ Day-1 Action

Month 1: Confirm local match availability from C-Fund surplus and request the County Manager confirm no prior application was submitted.

Month 2: Introduce a County Council resolution establishing a county road safety commitment (required in the application).

Months 3–5: Scope a specific project on the SC 170 corridor tied to the LCOG plan. Submit FY2027 application when the NOFO opens (estimated January–February 2027).

▸ Bottom line: The highest-dollar realistic opportunity for District 5 in the first term, and the county is already positioned to apply.

Program 3  |  EPA State Revolving Funds - Clean Water and Drinking Water (CWSRF / DWSRF)

Low-interest loan programs from the EPA for water and wastewater infrastructure, treatment plant expansions, sewer rehabilitation, and drinking water upgrades. In South Carolina, administered through SCDES and the Rural Infrastructure Authority. The primary applicant is Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA).

Award Potential	Interest Rate	Local Match	Success Likelihood
No minimum or maximum, loans at 0–2% below market rate. IIJA funding has added grant-equivalent "principal forgiveness" for eligible projects.	Below-market; some principal forgiveness available	None required (it is a loan)	80–85%

Why that likelihood is honest: This is a loan program, not a competition. Eligible projects that apply are funded in order. The risk is inaction, if BJWSA doesn't apply, the money goes to counties that did.

▶ Day-1 Action

Month 1: Request a formal briefing from BJWSA confirming whether the Cherry Point Water Reclamation Facility expansion (from 7.5 to 11.25 million gallons per day, a documented capital need) is on the SCDES Intended Use Plan priority list. If not, direct BJWSA to submit immediately. Establish a standing annual briefing to County Council on BJWSA's capital financing pipeline.

▸ Bottom line: The least glamorous program in this brief, and the most consistently available. Water infrastructure funding is sitting here waiting for BJWSA to claim it.

Program 4  |  Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)

A federal-state program administered by SCDOT that funds pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, sidewalks, crosswalks, shared-use paths, and Safe Routes to Schools improvements.

Award Potential	Federal Share	Local Match	Success Likelihood
$400,000–$2 million+ per project	80% federal	20% local	50–60%

Why that likelihood is honest: Competed at the state level, not nationally, more achievable than larger programs. Safe Routes to Schools projects are explicitly prioritized. The October 2027 round is the realistic first submission target.

▶ Day-1 Action

Months 1–3: Contact SCDOT TAP Program Manager for early coordination (a documented requirement before application). Identify a specific Safe Routes to Schools project, strongest candidate is pedestrian crosswalk and pathway improvements on SC 170 serving Pritchardville Elementary School, which is running well over capacity. Secure County Council resolution and 20% match commitment. Submit October 2027 round.

▸ Bottom line: A realistic, winnable application in Year 1, the right project and early SCDOT coordination are the keys.

Program 5  |  BUILD Discretionary Grant (2028 Target)

The federal government's most flexible large transportation grant, funding roads, bridges, and multimodal projects of regional significance. National competition. Officially branded as BUILD grants (formerly RAISE/TIGER).

Award Potential	Federal Share	Local Match	Success Likelihood
$5 million–$25 million	80% federal	20% local	25–35%

Why that likelihood is honest: The most competitive program in this brief. Only 40–60 awards are made nationally each year from thousands of applications. The differentiator is project readiness, completed environmental review, preliminary engineering, and a strong benefit-cost analysis. Beaufort County has not historically submitted applications to this program, so there is no track record to build on. A realistic first award would come in FY2028 at the earliest.

▶ Day-1 Action

Months 1–3: Identify the single most construction-ready county-maintained road project with documented regional significance.

Months 3–6: Engage LCOG and SCDOT District 5 about co-application or letters of support.

Months 4–8: Commission a benefit-cost analysis and begin environmental review. Submit FY2028 NOFO when released.

▸ Bottom line: A multi-year play, not a Year 1 win, but the groundwork has to start in January 2027. Every month of delay on preliminary engineering is a month of lost competitive advantage.

Program 6  |  FEMA BRIC - Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities

FEMA's pre-disaster infrastructure resilience program, funding stormwater upgrades, critical facility hardening, and flood mitigation before disaster strikes. Local governments apply as subapplicants through SC Emergency Management Division.

Award Potential	Federal Share	Local Match	Success Likelihood
Up to $20 million federal share per project	75% federal	25% non-federal — requires current Hazard Mitigation Plan and completed conceptual design	30–40%

Why that likelihood is honest: National competition is intense. First-time applicants face a learning curve. Beaufort County's documented flood exposure, storm surge risk, stormwater drainage deficiencies in the Okatie corridor, is a legitimate eligibility anchor.

The FY2026 BRIC round opened March 25, 2026 with a federal deadline of July 23, 2026. Current county leadership has the authority to act on the current cycle. Joshua Hower's target is the FY2027 cycle.

▶ Day-1 Action

Month 1: Contact SCEMD to confirm Beaufort County's Hazard Mitigation Plan is current and BRIC-eligible.

Months 1–3: Identify one specific stormwater or critical facility project in the Okatie corridor with completed conceptual design.

Months 3–6: Commission a FEMA-formatted benefit-cost analysis with SCEMD technical assistance. Submit FY2027 BRIC subapplication when the next cycle opens.

▸ Bottom line: Worth the preparation investment given the award size and the county's real flood risk. Plan for a multi-cycle pursuit.

The Year-1 Calendar in Plain English

What the First 12 Months Actually Look Like

This is the sequence, not all at once, but in order, with each step building on the last.

January 2027 - First 30 Days

Write the SCDOT safety study letter for Callawassie Drive. Request a BJWSA capital financing briefing. Brief the County Manager on the grant capacity gap and request an assessment of whether the county needs a Grant Development Coordinator or contracted grant writer.

February 2027

Introduce a County Council resolution establishing a county road safety commitment. Introduce a second resolution formally requesting SCDOT include SC 170 in its federal INFRA/BUILD application pipeline consideration.

March 2027

Make formal early contact with SCDOT's TAP Program Manager, a required step before any application. Request SCEMD confirm Beaufort County's Hazard Mitigation Plan is current.

April – June 2027

Scope the SS4A implementation project using LCOG's existing Safety Action Plan. Identify and scope the TAP Safe Routes to Schools project at Pritchardville Elementary. Confirm match funding availability in the FY2028 budget request.

July 2027

Request the County Manager include an annual Infrastructure Match Reserve in the FY2028 budget proposal.

September 2027

Submit the TAP application for the October 2027 round. Submit the BRIC subapplication to SCEMD.

January – February 2028

Submit the SS4A implementation grant application, targeting $5–25 million for SC 170 corridor road safety construction.

What This Adds Up To

The Realistic Range

Grant outcomes are never guaranteed. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not being straight with you. What this plan represents is a realistic, verified range of what Beaufort County can pursue if it builds the staff capacity, commits the local match, and executes the sequence above.

Scenario	Programs That Succeed	Estimated Federal/State Leverage
Low End - Year 1	HSIP safety study & intersection improvement; TAP Safe Routes to Schools; SRF coordination with BJWSA for Cherry Point WRF	$2–5 million
High End - First Term	SS4A implementation awarded; TAP funded; BRIC awarded in FY2027 or FY2028 cycle; HSIP and SRF ongoing	$15–35 million
What determines which end you land on		Preparation. Staff capacity. Committed local match. A councilmember who treats this as governing work.

The difference between the low end and the high end is not luck, it is preparation, staff capacity, committed local match, and a councilmember who is willing to treat this as governing work rather than a side project.

The Honest Caveats

What This Plan Is Not

This is not a guarantee. Federal competitive grants are awarded at the discretion of federal agencies based on applications, not entitlements. Beaufort County will not win every application it submits.

This is not free money. Local match commitments are real spending. Grant management requires staff time. Projects that receive federal funding come with compliance requirements. None of that is a reason not to pursue them, it is a reason to pursue them with a plan, not on impulse.

This is not something one councilmember does alone. Every action in this plan goes through the County Manager, involves county staff, and most require at least a majority Council vote for budget commitments. What a single councilmember can do is initiate, advocate, and hold the process accountable. That is exactly what this plan describes.

Why This Matters

Beaufort County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the Southeast. That growth is real, it is here, and it is not slowing down. The infrastructure that has to absorb it, the roads, the water systems, the drainage, the fire stations, the schools, was not built for what is coming. Some of that gap has to be closed by making growth pay its own way through a concurrency framework. But some of it was already here before the next development was approved. That gap is what federal and state infrastructure funding exists to address.

The money in these programs does not belong to Washington. It belongs to American taxpayers, including the residents of Beaufort County, who have already paid into it through their federal taxes. Counties that do not pursue it simply transfer their share to communities that do. That is a choice, and it is the wrong one.

If the voters of District 5 elect me on June 9 for the primaries, and again in November at the general, I take office in January 2027 with this plan already written, already verified, and already sequenced. The first phone call is already identified. The first letter is already drafted. The first Council resolution is already written. This is not what I hope to do. This is what I will do.

▶  A Summary of the Six Programs

Program	Award Range	Match	Likelihood	First-Year Target
HSIP (Road Safety Formula)	$500K–$5M	None	70–80%	SCDOT safety study letter, Jan 2027
SS4A Implementation	$5M–$25M+	20%	50–60%	Application, Jan–Feb 2028
EPA SRF (CWSRF / DWSRF)	Loan — no cap	None	80–85%	BJWSA briefing, Jan 2027
TAP (Safe Routes to Schools)	$400K–$2M+	20%	50–60%	Application, Oct 2027
BUILD Discretionary	$5M–$25M	20%	25–35%	Groundwork Jan 2027; apply FY2028
FEMA BRIC (Flood Resilience)	Up to $20M	25%	30–40%	Subapplication, Sep 2027

Joshua Hower  |  U.S. Army Veteran  |  Okatie Resident  |  Candidate, Beaufort County Council District 5