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Find public support
The organizations that help companies export from and invest in South Carolina, grouped by what you need. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
1. Where to start
SC Commerce, CRDA and SC SBDC: the guide’s first stops, of the 12 organizations below.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
State commerce department
SC Commerce
South Carolina Department of Commerce
Leads state economic development and runs the Landing Pad program for small international firms settling in the state, as the Richmond Fed described in 2025.
Regional economic development alliance
CRDA
Charleston Regional Development Alliance
Gives companies weighing relocation or expansion in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties confidential, no-cost help, including incentive eligibility with the Department of Commerce.
Visit CRDA (opens in a new tab)Source: Charleston Regional Development Alliance, taxes and incentives (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
- Get advice
Small business advisory network
SC SBDC
South Carolina Small Business Development Centers
Gives small businesses free, private consulting, and its trade consultants assess export readiness and advise on export loans and state grants.
Visit SC SBDC (opens in a new tab)Source: SC SBDC, international trade page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
2. Export development and market information
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
State commerce department
SC Commerce
South Carolina Department of Commerce
Leads state economic development and runs the Landing Pad program for small international firms settling in the state, as the Richmond Fed described in 2025.
- Get advice
Small business advisory network
SC SBDC
South Carolina Small Business Development Centers
Gives small businesses free, private consulting, and its trade consultants assess export readiness and advise on export loans and state grants.
Visit SC SBDC (opens in a new tab)Source: SC SBDC, international trade page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
- Meet requirements
Regional food export association
SUSTA
Southern United States Trade Association
Regional body
Reimburses half of eligible international marketing costs and runs trade missions for small southern food and agricultural companies, those in South Carolina included.
Visit SUSTA (opens in a new tab)Source: SUSTA, home page and member states (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
3. Investment and business setup
4 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Regional economic development alliance
CRDA
Charleston Regional Development Alliance
Gives companies weighing relocation or expansion in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties confidential, no-cost help, including incentive eligibility with the Department of Commerce.
Visit CRDA (opens in a new tab)Source: Charleston Regional Development Alliance, taxes and incentives (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
- Get advice
Federal small business office
SBA South Carolina District Office
U.S. Small Business Administration South Carolina District Office
Helps small businesses find lenders, SBA loan programs and state and federal resources, from offices serving the Columbia, Charleston and Spartanburg areas.
- Get advice
Airport and zone grantee
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Is the grantee for Foreign-Trade Zone 127, which lets businesses at any fixed site in 16 Midlands counties seek zone designation.
Electric utility
Santee Cooper
Helps new and expanding industries with site readiness assessments, power arrangements and low-cost loans for roads, water and sewer, working with the Department of Commerce.
Visit Santee Cooper (opens in a new tab)Source: Santee Cooper, 2025 sustainability report, economic development (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
4. Customs and tax
1 organization. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
State ports authority
SC Ports
South Carolina Ports Authority
Runs the Charleston terminals and the inland ports at Greer and Dillon, and is the grantee for Foreign-Trade Zones 21 and 38.
Visit SC Ports (opens in a new tab)Source: SC Ports Authority, foreign-trade zones page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
5. Standards and sector requirements
1 organization. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Manufacturing extension partnership
SCMEP
South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Consults and trains manufacturers on quality systems, among them ISO 9001, ISO 13485 and IATF 16949, and offers a one-day competitiveness review at no cost.
Visit SCMEP (opens in a new tab)Source: SCMEP, quality programs and tools (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
6. Chambers and industry associations
3 organizations. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
- Get advice
Local chamber of commerce
Greenville Chamber
Connects its 1,400 member investors, advocates for business and works on regional economic growth in the Greenville area.
Visit Greenville Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Greenville Chamber, home page, October 2026 news (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
- Get advice
Local chamber of commerce
Charleston Metro Chamber
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Advocates for business and runs leadership, workforce and economic programs for companies in the Charleston region.
Visit Charleston Metro Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Charleston Metro Chamber, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
- Get advice
Local chamber of commerce
Columbia Chamber
Columbia Chamber of Commerce
Runs advocacy, business development and workforce programs and monthly business briefings for companies in the Columbia region.
Visit Columbia Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Columbia Chamber, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 4, 2026
7. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare potential export marketsSee which markets import what you sell, ranked on public trade data, and read each country before you commit.
- Check duties and document requirementsCheck the duty, the origin conditions for a preferential rate and the documents a shipment needs.
- Compare the United States with other countriesSet the United States beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
Turn this guide into your South Carolina project.
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Promote:South Carolina is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 4, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.