Columbia, SC – South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers and State Senator Russell Ott announced a new grant program to help South Carolina’s farming industry at the Statehouse today. The Wells Fargo Foundation is providing $600,000 to the South Carolina Research Authority to fund the Cultivating Innovation in SC Agribusiness grant program. The grants are designed to accelerate growth and foster groundbreaking innovation in the state’s farming industry. “We are proud to support South Carolina’s small agribusinesses as they innovate and grow,” said Wells Fargo Foundation VP of Philanthropy and Community Impact Pam Bryant. “This investment reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening rural communities and advancing sustainable economic development through agriculture.”
“South Carolina’s agribusiness sector is the backbone of our state’s economy, and innovation is the key to keeping it strong and competitive,” said SCRA Interim President and CEO Bill Kirkland. “Thanks to the Wells Fargo Foundation’s generous support, we can equip small farmers and agribusiness owners with the resources, training, and capital they need to turn bold ideas into reality.”
SCRA will administer the grants in partnership with the South Carolina Small Business Development Centers and other key collaborators. “The program will provide intensive training, expert mentorship, and one-time innovation grants of up to $30,000 to competitively selected small agribusinesses,” said SCRA Senior Investment Manager Mitch Smith. “The funding enables participants to develop and implement novel products, services, processes, practices, or technology adoptions that create tangible value for their operations and the state’s agricultural economy.”
Eligible businesses must be for-profit businesses operating in the agricultural sector, headquartered in South Carolina for at least one tax year, and meet U.S. Small Business Administration size standards. Grant funds may be used for project-specific expenses, including labor, working capital, research and development, equipment and technology, supplies, professional services, and marketing.
Selected participants will benefit from:
- Five targeted webinars on innovation strategy, AI tools, market validation, financial planning, intellectual property protection, and scaling
- Personalized consulting from SC SBDC advisors and SCRA
- Access to an expert mentorship pool
Key program dates:
- Application Launch: December 1, 2025
- Virtual Application Training Webinar: December 4, 2025
- Application Deadline: February 2, 2026
- Cohort Notification: February 5, 2026
- Program Start: February 12, 2026
Interested businesses are encouraged to visit scaginnovation.com or contact jimmymj@mailbox.sc.edu for more information and to begin the application process.
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Established in 2006, SC Launch Inc. is the investment affiliate of the South Carolina Research Authority. The independent, nonprofit corporation provides convertible loans and investment funding to qualifying SCRA Member Companies. The returns on this funding provide the resources for additional investments in next-generation technology startups.
Chartered in 1983 by the State of South Carolina as a public, nonprofit corporation, South Carolina Research Authority fuels the state’s innovation economy through the impact of its comprehensive services to technology-based startups, academia, and industry. SCRA provides funding and support to accelerate the growth of academic startups; high-quality lab and administrative workspaces; facilitation and funding for partnerships between and among industry, startups, and academic institutions; assistance and funding for the relocation of technology-based companies to South Carolina; and coaching and funding for startups that may also receive investments from its affiliate, SC Launch Inc.
Media Contact
Adrianne Grimes
SCRA Director of Marketing and Communications
