South Carolina Research Authority

Foundation · Grantmaker Columbia, SC EIN: 57-0736144 Website

The South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) is a public, non-profit corporation chartered by the State of South Carolina in 1983. Headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, SCRA operates as an applied research corporation dedicated to fueling the state's innovation economy. The organization serves as a connector between academia, entrepreneurs, and industry to accelerate technology-enabled growth and economic development.

Key facts about South Carolina Research Authority

EIN: 57-0736144
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2023
Annual giving (2023): $3,461,583
Grants made (2023): 47
Average grant: $73,651
Median grant: $50,000
New grantees (estimate): 62% first-time grantees (29 of 47, 2023)
Total assets: $101,459,439
Primary geography: South Carolina (100% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who South Carolina Research Authority funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for South Carolina Research Authority's 47 itemized 2023 grants were South Carolina (100%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greenville, SC (10 grants), Charleston, SC (8 grants), Columbia, SC (6 grants) and Clemson, SC (2 grants). None of its 47 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Acceleration" (13 grants), "Project Development Fund" (10 grants) and "Demonstration" (5 grants).

Is South Carolina Research Authority open to new grantees?

62%

first-time grantees, 2023

In 2023, 29 of 47 grantees (62%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $129K. How we count

Medians: $45K first-time, $50K repeat.

32% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
Giving fell 20% from 2020 to 2023. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2023). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with South Carolina Research Authority

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Financial Overview

From 2023 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$101.5M

-3.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.5M

+27.0% YoY

Grant Count

-6.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$74K

+35.1% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission: Fuel South Carolina's innovation economy by accelerating technology-enabled growth in research, academia, entrepreneurship, and industry.

SCRA was chartered by the state legislature to:

Support entrepreneurs and technology startups on strong growth trajectories through grant funding, coaching, and investing via SC Launch Inc., its investment affiliate
Accelerate academic research and its commercialization through grant funding and resource coordination to ensure developments meet South Carolina's industry needs
Connect industry to entrepreneurs and innovators through matchmaking opportunities and fund relocation costs for technology-based companies moving to South Carolina
Provide laboratory and administrative space for technology startups and academic institutions

Sectors of Focus:

SCRA concentrates its efforts in four key areas identified as drivers of South Carolina's innovation economy:

Advanced Manufacturing and Materials
Information Technology
Life Sciences
Clean Tech, Sustainability, and Resilience

Grantmaking

SCRA makes grants to support entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and technology-based ventures. Recent grant activity includes:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

SCRA operates throughout South Carolina, with a primary focus on supporting the state's innovation economy. The organization funds relocation costs for technology-based companies moving to South Carolina and maintains facilities across the state to support startups and academic institutions.

Grant Distribution by State

South Carolina $3.4M (100%)

Ohio $13K (0%)

Share of all 47 itemized 2023 grant dollars.

States

Arkansas Ohio South Carolina

Cities

ColumbiaGreenvilleCharlestonClemsonMount PleasantFlorenceSimpsonvilleFort MillGreerRock HillAikenAndersonChapinCincinnatiJohns IslandLexingtonMauldinSummervilleBlythewoodFt Smith

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Fiscal Year 2023 (as of June 30, 2023):

Total Revenue: $16,234,461
Total Expenses: $15,986,496
Total Assets: $101,459,439
Total Liabilities: $34,400,000

Program Service Expenses: $13,172,852 (83% of total expenses)

Economic Impact (FY 2025):

Total economic impact on South Carolina innovation economy: $717 million
Jobs supported: 3,772 South Carolina-based jobs
Average salary of SCRA companies: $91,959 (51% higher than state average)

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2023	2022	2021
Total Assets	$101,459,439	$104,791,332	$84,250,804
Revenue	$16,234,461	$17,524,075	$18,851,513
Expenses	$15,986,496	$15,394,736	$15,687,749
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	$952,026	$1,379,801	$699,943
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 1, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2023

Grant Size Distribution

187 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

3 open opportunities from South Carolina Research Authority

Foundation

Industry Partnership Fund (IPF) Tax Credit Program

South Carolina Research Authority

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

SACT Grant (SCRA-Academic Collaboration Team Grant)

South Carolina Research Authority

Amount

Up to $860,000 (Track 1: Lab to Market); Up to $640,000 (Track 2: Capacity Building)

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Annual

Foundation

SC Launch Inc. Investment Program

South Carolina Research Authority

Amount

Typically up to $200,000 or more per round; seed-stage through Series B

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Rolling (Quarterly)

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2023 grants, the largest recipients include Clemson University ($693,367), SC Launch Inc ($500,000), University of South Carolina ($484,477).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
Clemson University Clemson, SC	Demonstration/SACT	$693,367
SC Launch Inc Columbia, SC	Support Services	$500,000
University of South Carolina Columbia, SC	Academic Matching/SACT/Strategic Alignment	$484,477
Clemson University Research Foundation Clemson, SC	Academic Matching/Strategic Alignment	$110,000
Francis Marion University Florence, SC	SACT	$96,239
Incora Health Inc Greenville, SC	Project Dev./Acceleration	$75,000
Secure Process Intelligence LLC Fort Mill, SC	Project Dev./Acceleration	$75,000
3Key Digital Marketing LLC Simpsonville, SC	Acceleration	$50,000
Algistor Inc Columbia, SC	Demonstration	$50,000
Baleen Solutions LLC Summerville, SC	Acceleration	$50,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Laura Terry serves as Principal Officer of the organization.

Compensation Overview

From 2023 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Robert Quinn	Executive Director	40	$326,141
Cole Dudley	Director SC Industry Solutions	40	$214,080
John Sircy	Director of Finance & Admin	35	$191,757
Matthew Bell	Director SC Launch	20	$196,411
William L Macilwinen	Senior Investment Manager	40	$186,856
Russell Cook	Dir. SC Academic Innovations	40	$181,951
Jim Doolittle	Director, SC Epscor	40	$182,451
Steve Johnson	Senior Investment Manager	40	$179,885
Derek Willis	Senior Investment Manager	40	$168,092
Randall S Cutts	Director SC Facilities	40	$159,443
Don Herriott	Chairman	1.5	—
Dr Michael Amiridis	Trustee	1.5	—
Dr L Fred Carter	Trustee	1.5	—
Dr James P Clements	Trustee	1.5	—
Dr David Cole	Trustee	1.5	—
Alexander Conyers	Trustee	1.5	—
Dr Linda Distlerath	Trustee	1.5	—
Rep Jason Elliott	Trustee	1.5	—
Senator Larry Grooms	Trustee	1.5	—
Jo Watson Hackl	Trustee	1.5	—
Lou Kennedy	Trustee	1.5	—
Laura Terry	Director of Finance & Admin	35	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

SCRA continues to announce grant funding rounds to member companies and academic institutions. The organization regularly awards grants supporting various sectors within its focus areas, including clean technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing initiatives.

SCRA Announces Member Companies Receiving New Grant Funding

The organization maintains an active portfolio of success stories, including companies such as Bubble Paper (an eco-friendly cushioning wrap developer) and Heartbeat Technologies (developer of The SAVER cardiac arrest device). These portfolio companies demonstrate SCRA's impact in supporting innovation from early-stage development through commercialization.

SCRA Announces Member Companies Receiving New Grant Funding

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Science & Technology

Frequently Asked Questions

What does South Carolina Research Authority fund?

**Mission:** Fuel South Carolina's innovation economy by accelerating technology-enabled growth in research, academia, entrepreneurship, and industry. SCRA was chartered by the state legislature to: • Support entrepreneurs and technology startups on strong growth trajectories through grant funding, coaching, and investing via SC Launch Inc., its investment affiliate • Accelerate academic research and its commercialization through grant funding and resource coordination to ensure developments me…

How do I apply for a grant from South Carolina Research Authority?

SCRA makes grants to support entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and technology-based ventures. Recent grant activity includes: **Recent Grants (FY 2023):** • SC Launch: $500,000 (Support Services) • Clemson University Research Foundation: $110,000 (Academic Matching/Strategic Alignment) • National Black Nurses Association: $96,239 (SACT) **Grant Activity Summary:** In fiscal year 2025, SCRA and SC Launch Inc. awarded $4.7 million in funds to companies and academic institutions. Since the ince…

Where does South Carolina Research Authority make grants?

What size grants does South Carolina Research Authority award?

In 2023, South Carolina Research Authority awarded 47 grants totaling $3.5M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is South Carolina Research Authority's EIN?

South Carolina Research Authority's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-0736144. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.