Bamberg County opens recreation grant applications, deadline set for May 18

Youth leagues, church programs and neighborhood recreation groups have until 5 p.m. May 18 to seek Bamberg County recreation support, and county officials have made clear there will not be another chance this fiscal year.

Bamberg County posted its 2026 Recreation Application Intro Letter Notice on April 29, opening the short window for local organizations that want county-backed help for youth-oriented projects. Completed applications may be delivered to the County Administrator’s office in the Bamberg County Courthouse Annex, Isaiah Odom Building, 1234 North Street in Bamberg, mailed to P.O. Box 149 in Bamberg, or emailed to Mrs. Rose R. Shepherd at shepherdrr@bambergcounty.sc.gov.

The county says the 2026 round is the only recreation grant application round for the fiscal year that runs July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. That makes the deadline especially important for small organizations that often rely on county support to cover uniforms, equipment, program fees or other youth recreation costs before summer activity ramps up.

Priority will go to projects that serve a large portion of the county’s youth, defined by the county as residents 18 and under, and to groups that have not previously received funding. The application form asks for the organization name, contact person, amount requested, total number to be served, overall income, recreation expenses, project description and other income sources. For organizations that applied in the prior year, the form also asks for last year’s amount requested, amount received and number served.

The rules are strict. Approved projects are funded on a reimbursement basis only, and only purchases made after July 1, 2025 and before June 30, 2026 are eligible. Food items do not qualify. The county also requires proof that the applicant placed a public notice through local media inviting participation from all segments of the public. The signature of the responsible person becomes a contract if money is awarded, and any funded facility, supply or activity must be open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis.

The Bamberg County Citizens Recreation Committee will recommend qualified applicants to County Council at its June meeting. That process comes with a modest but meaningful local track record. In fiscal year 2024-2025, the committee said it had $14,000 to work with, 20 applicants applied and 19 were successful. In fiscal year 2023-2024, 12 groups applied and 11 were approved for a total of $13,999.

Recent recipients show the kind of projects the county has backed before, including youth baseball, youth softball, Bamberg County 4-H, a Summer Enrichment/Recreation Program and Bamberg County First Steps. Curtis Tyler, Jr. is identified in council minutes as recreation committee chairman, showing continuity in the county’s youth recreation effort as the May 18 deadline approaches.