Upper Savannah Council of Governments

What Upper Savannah Council of Governments does

Upper Savannah Council of Governments (USCOG) is a public-sector, quasi-governmental regional planning and development organization created by South Carolina state legislation in 1967 — the first multi-county Council of Governments in the state. Headquartered at 430 Helix Road, Greenwood, SC, USCOG serves a six-county Upper Savannah region (Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Saluda) plus Newberry County for workforce services, encompassing 24 municipalities and a combined population served through workforce and aging programs. USCOG operates six divisions — Area Agency on Aging (Aging & Disability Resource Center), Community Development, Economic Development, Government Services, Workforce Development, and Transportation Planning — that together deliver grant writing and administration, CDBG-funded infrastructure, EDA Public Works investments, WIOA-funded workforce training (Ready to Roll CDL, EMT/Paramedic, SC Works Centers), Older Americans Act aging services, small-business lending through a 32-year-old Revolving Loan Fund plus a $760,000 CARES RLF, GIS and transportation planning, and a public transit feasibility program.

The organization's core offering is best characterized as a regional service-delivery and grant-administration platform rather than a single product. Underlying technology is conventional public-sector web infrastructure: a redesigned WordPress-based website (www.uppersavannah.com, built with AJ Design and Marketing LLC) supported by Google Analytics, Google Maps, Google reCAPTCHA, Google Webfonts, Vimeo/YouTube embeds, and Constant Contact for email newsletters. Specialized capabilities include GIS and mapping for planning, environmental review support, SC Works center operations across all seven workforce-area counties, and a community events calendar. USCOG holds no proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, or API/SDK exposure.

Revenue mechanics are entirely public-sector: USCOG does not charge for services to citizens and does not disclose commercial pricing. Operating funds flow from federal pass-throughs (HHS/ACL for OAA programs, U.S. EDA for Public Works and RLF, U.S. DOL for WIOA and EMT training, HUD CDBG-DR), state appropriations (S.C. Department of Commerce CDBG, S.C. Energy Office, S.C. Department of Archives and History), local government contributions from member counties, and repayments from the Revolving Loan Fund. Catalyzed regional impact includes an estimated $54.1M in WIOA participant annual earnings across 2,225 PY 2023 completers, $11.27M in the largest-ever EDA grant administered (Piedmont Technical College Health Science Building, 2024), and 58,301 acres protected via the affiliated Upper Savannah Land Trust.

Name

Upper Savannah Council of Governments

Legal name

Upper Savannah Council of Governments

Website

https://uppersavannah.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upper Savannah Council of Governments (USCOG), founded 1967, is South Carolina's first multi-county Council of Governments. Headquartered in Greenwood, SC, it administers federal and state grants, workforce training, aging services, and regional planning across six counties and 24 municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Human Services & Benefits Administration (Welfare, Disability, Child & Family) (BPAIABAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Governor/Executive Office & Cabinet Administration (BPAIABAA)

Keywords

• Regional planning services
• Government grant administration
• Workforce development programs
• Community development block grants
• Aging services coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Greenwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants and Pass-Through Funding: Receives Older Americans Act (OAA) federal funding through the HHS Administration for Community Living; receives and administers federal grants from agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (CDBG-DR), Economic Development Administration (EDA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Note $1.1B in OAA funding released by HHS in May 2025 and a $150,354,000 HUD CDBG-DR allocation to South Carolina for Hurricane Helene recovery.
2. State CDBG Grants and Administration Fees: Prepares and submits Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications on behalf of local governments to the S.C. Department of Commerce, and administers the awarded projects (e.g., $923,890 for Greenwood County DHEC facility, $445,328 Abbeville DSS parking, $65,872 Saluda EMS, $1.6M Mathews Mill sewer, $750,000 McCormick streetscape, $721,212 Saluda streetscape, $250,000 Abbeville Chestnut Street Park).
3. EDA Federal Grant Administration: Administered $11.27M EDA grant for Piedmont Technical College Health Science Building (largest ever from a USCOG-submitted application) and a prior $1.5M EDA grant for the Upstate Center for Manufacturing Excellence.
4. Revolving Loan Fund (CARES RLF): Administers the original RLF (operating 32+ years) and a $760,000 CARES RLF funded through the EDA. Working capital loans up to $50,000 at 1% fixed for up to 5 years; real estate/equipment loans up to $100,000 at 2.5% fixed for up to 15 years. Available across Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda counties.
5. WIOA Workforce Program Funding: Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds administered through the Upper Savannah Workforce Development Board to support job seekers and employers. PY 2023: 2,225 program completers served, 72% received employment, average salary $33,992, total estimated earnings $54,114,632.
6. State Appropriations: Receives South Carolina state appropriations for aging programs — S.C. House and Senate agreed to fund an extra $10 million for Aging programs statewide in FY '26 (double the typical annual amount).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Upper Savannah Council of Governments (USCOG) is a public-sector Council of Governments that serves as the umbrella administrative organization for regional activities across a six-county (plus Newberry for workforce) area in South Carolina. It delivers six operational service divisions — Area Agency on Aging, Community Development, Economic Development, Government Services, Workforce Development, and Transportation Planning — providing grant writing/administration, CDBG and EDA infrastructure projects, workforce training, aging services, small business lending, and planning studies to local governments, seniors, job seekers, and employers.

Product overview

Upper Savannah Council of Governments (USCOG) is a multi-county planning and development organization serving a seven-county region in South Carolina (Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda) and the first multi-county planning and development organization created in South Carolina (1967). Its offering is not a single unified SaaS product but rather a platform-plus-divisions architecture of public service programs, organized into six operational divisions: the Area Agency on Aging (Aging & Disability Resource Center), Community Development, Economic Development, Government Services, Workforce Development, and Transportation Planning. These divisions work together to deliver grant writing/administration, CDBG-funded infrastructure projects (e.g., Mathews Mill Sewer Phase II, Chestnut Street Park, Saluda Library), workforce programs (Ready to Roll CDL training, EMT/Paramedic training, SC Works Centers, WIOA), aging services (home-delivered meals, transportation, caregiver support, Long-Term Care Ombudsman), small business lending (Upper Savannah RLF and CARES RLF), planning studies (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, Public Transit Feasibility Study, Green Infrastructure Regional Plan), and a community events calendar. Supporting community-facing programs include the Upper Savannah SC Works System, Senior Day, Caregiver Appreciation Day, the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, and an event guidelines calendar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Upper Savannah SC Works: Upper Savannah's regional workforce development system / SC Works brand administered by the Workforce Development Division.
• Upper Savannah Area Agency on Aging (Aging & Disability Resource Center)

Products and services

• Area Agency on Aging (Aging & Disability Resource Center)

Quantifiable outcome

• PY 2023: 2,225 WIOA program completers, 72% employment rate, average annual salary $33,992, total earnings $54,114,632 across the 7-county workforce region.
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• S.C. Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that awards CDBG grants to the Upper Savannah region. USCOG Community Development staff prepare and submit grant applications to SCDOC and administer the awarded projects across the six counties. Three CDBG grants awarded in the December 2025 round ($923,890 Greenwood, $445,328 Abbeville, $65,872 Saluda).
• Piedmont Technical College (PTC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead applicant and educational partner for major workforce development grants. Jointly led the Ready to Roll CDL training (2018–2019) and the EDA Health Science Building grant ($11.27M, 2024). USCOG staff work with PTC Associate VP Caroline Chappell on EDA applications. PTC was the educational provider for the EMS training boot camp.
• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership association representing 540 regional development organizations serving 2,300+ counties and 15,000+ municipalities. Awarded USCOG the 2019 and 2024 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards; funded the Western Transportation Institute public transit feasibility study via USDA grant.
• Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University, BozemancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsultants (David Kack and Rebecca Gleason) conducting a public transit feasibility study for Abbeville, Laurens, and Saluda counties under a USDA grant administered by NADO. Working with USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green; study completed in 2026.
• McCormick Area Transit (MAT)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvider of public transit services contracted by Greenwood County with SCDOT funding ($150,000/year for 3 years matched by the County). USCOG helped coordinate the agreement and recommended two additional vans to SCDOT. Ribbon cutting July 19, 2021.
• SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState DOT that funds transit agreements and oversees regional transportation planning. SCDOT Secretary Christy Hall presented the 10-Year Plan in 2017 which inspired the Ready to Roll program. SCDOT contributed $150,000/year to the Greenwood-MAT transit agreement.
• Upper Savannah SC Works / SC Works SystemflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional workforce development brand/partnership for the seven-county Upper Savannah area. Co-delivers employment services, hosts regional job fairs (~70 employers), and operates the WIOA Adult/Dislocated Worker/Youth programs. Upper Savannah Workforce Development Board sets policy; USCOG Workforce Development Division implements.
• Upper Savannah Land Trust (USLT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization incubated by USCOG in 1999/2000, with USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green serving as USLT Secretary since founding. 138 easement projects protecting 58,301 acres across 10 counties. Celebrated 25th anniversary May 9, 2025.
• USAging (National Association of Area Agencies on Aging)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational advocacy organization that helped secure preservation of Older Americans Act programs (Long-Term Care Ombudsman and SHIP) in the HHS reorganization; works with all U.S. Area Agencies on Aging.
• SC Councils of Governments (SC COGs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide association of the 10 SC planning district COGs (USCOG, Greenville, Aiken, Rock Hill, Columbia, Florence, Georgetown, North Charleston, Sumter, Yemassee). USCOG was the first COG created in SC (1967) under Governor Robert E. McNair.
• Greenwood Genetic Center Partnership CampusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed regional partner referenced from the USCOG Links page. Hosted the Upper Savannah Long Term Care Ombudsman Workshop (March 2025).
• Ten at the TopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional collaboration organization for the Upstate SC region listed as a partner/linked resource.
• Upstate SC AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional economic development alliance for the Upstate SC region linked from USCOG resources.
• Appalachian Council of GovernmentsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFamily Caregiver Advocate and Educator Dorinne Dubois from the Appalachian COG served as guest speaker at Upper Savannah's Caregiver Appreciation Day in September 2024.
• AJ Design and Marketing LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal web design firm (Andy Johnston) that redesigned the USCOG website (2020) to be mobile-friendly and easier to navigate. Office Assistant Shannon Hill assisted with the website update.
• Greenwood and McCormick County SC 250 CommitteescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal committees charged with documenting the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Jointly applied for $15,000 State SC 250 grant for Battle of Long Canes interpretive signage; USCOG Government Services Director Rick Green submitted the application and administered the project. Unveiled April 23, 2026.
• South Carolina Department of Archives and History (SCDAH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that provided records management training to municipal clerks at the USCOG office (Aug 2025) and manages retention schedules and destruction reporting (ARM-11 forms).
• South Carolina Office of Resilience (SCOR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that held a Hurricane Helene disaster recovery town hall in Greenwood (June 12, 2025) seeking public input on a $150,354,000 HUD CDBG-DR Action Plan.
• SC Department of Employment and Workforce (SCDEW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency that delivers Wagner-Peyser labor exchange services in the Upper Savannah region and is a key partner in the SC Works system. Provides Wagner-Peyser staff at SC Works centers.
• National Association of Regional Councils (NARC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership association for regional councils (COGs, MPOs, etc.) — listed as a related association.
• Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide association of SC cities and towns — provides American Rescue Plan funding allocation estimates and guidance to USCOG region municipalities.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Development Organizations (NADO): National membership association of 540 regional development organizations serving 2,300+ counties. Has awarded USCOG the 2019 and 2024 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Awards. Broad incumbent setting standards, providing training, and channeling federal funding for the regional COG category.
• USAging (National Association of Area Agencies on Aging): National advocacy organization for all U.S. Area Agencies on Aging. Direct peer at the national level for USCOG's Upper Savannah AAA division; helped secure OAA program preservation during the 2025 HHS reorganization.
• S.C. Association of Councils of Governments (SCACOG): Statewide membership association of the 10 SC planning district COGs. Functions as the broader umbrella/coordinating body of which USCOG is a member; comparable as the industry association governing the same CDBG/EDA/OAA/WIOA funding flows.

Regional players

• Ten at the Top: Regional collaboration organization for the Upstate SC region. Listed as a USCOG partner/linked resource; comparable as a regional convening/economic development coordination body operating in overlapping South Carolina territory.
• Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC): Statewide association of SC cities and towns that provides American Rescue Plan funding allocation estimates and guidance to USCOG-region municipalities. Adjacent comparable as the local-government support organization operating alongside USCOG in serving the same 24 municipalities.

Direct peers

• Lowcountry Council of Governments: SC Council of Governments serving Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper counties. Direct peer in the same SC COG network administering CDBG, WIOA, EDA, and Older Americans Act programs through a multi-division structure.
• Appalachian Council of Governments: One of the 10 South Carolina Councils of Governments, serving Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties. Directly comparable as a peer SC COG with the same statutory role in CDBG administration, WIOA workforce delivery, and EDA grant writing. Source data references a speaker from Appalachian COG at USCOG's Caregiver Appreciation Day.
• Greenville-Pickens Area Agency on Aging (under Ten at the Top / Appalachian Council): A regional Area Agency on Aging operating within the same SC COG network that administers Older Americans Act programs. Directly comparable to USCOG's Upper Savannah AAA in service mix (home-delivered meals, family caregiver support, SHIP, Ombudsman) and funding source (HHS ACL pass-through).
• Pee Dee Council of Governments: Another SC Council of Governments (serving the Pee Dee region) that jointly applied with USCOG for the $500K DOL EMT/Paramedic training grant. Direct peer as a fellow SC COG with workforce development and economic development divisions funded by EDA, CDBG, and WIOA.
• Catawba Regional Council of Governments: One of the 10 SC Councils of Governments serving Chester, Lancaster, Union, and York counties. Direct peer with the same multi-division architecture (Aging, Community/Economic Development, Workforce, Transportation) and state/federal funding mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/USCOG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upper-savannah-council-of-governments

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Upper Savannah Council of Governments