S.C. Arts Commission to receive national grantmaking award

Grant Professionals Association to present award in November


OVERLAND PARK, KAN. – The Grant Professionals Association is announcing that the South Carolina Arts Commission was named its 2019 Grantmaker of the Year for the public sector.

The Grant Professionals Association (GPA) is a +3000-member organization dedicated to promoting professionalism and ethics in the grant industry. Formerly known as the GPA Pioneer Award, the Grantmaker of the Year Award recognizes public funders (federal, state and local agencies) and private funders (family, community and corporate foundations) that have improved the way grant professionals do their work and acknowledges outstanding contributions to the field of grantsmanship.

S.C. Arts Commission (SCAC) Executive Director David Platts will accept the award for the agency Nov. 7, 2019 at the GPA Annual Conference in Washington.

“It is so gratifying to receive recognition of this magnitude for the work we do supporting the arts and arts education in South Carolina. Grants from the arts commission ensure artists can commit to their chosen crafts and thrive artistically and make a living here, that our students reap the benefits of a rounded education including arts and creativity, and that all our citizens have access to the many benefits of the arts,” Platts said.

In her nomination of the SCAC, Alicia Kokkinis of Charleston said the agency “provides 1:1 technical support throughout the grant making and grant management process. They are readily available by phone and email, which is unusual for a government organization. They develop relationships with potential and current grantees. [SCAC] has a small staff, yet still makes the time to talk to potential and current grantees often. Artists are not typically grant professionals. [SCAC] meets potential grantees where they are without compromising accountability.”


About Grant Professionals Association

The Grant Professionals Association (GPA) is an international membership association for everyone in the grants industry. GPA and its affiliates work to advance the profession, certify professionals, and fund professionalism. GPA offers continuing professional development through local chapter meetings, regular webinars, the GPA Journal, and an annual conference. The Grant Professionals Certification Institute oversees the GPC credential based on a body of knowledge for the profession. The Grant Professionals Foundation provides scholarships to individuals to advance their career. Find out more at GrantProfessionals.org.

To find out more information about this award, including how to apply and information about previous winners, please visit: https://www.grantprofessionals.org/grantmakeraward


About the South Carolina Arts Commission

With a commitment to excellence across the spectrum of our state’s cultures and forms of expression, the South Carolina Arts Commission pursues its public charge to develop a thriving arts environment, which is essential to quality of life, education, and economic vitality for all South Carolinians.

Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission works to increase public participation in the arts by providing grants, direct programs, staff assistance and partnerships in three key areas:

  • arts education,
  • community arts development,
  • and artist development.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina, by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts and other sources. For more information, visit SouthCarolinaArts.com or call 803.734.8696.