Q&A with South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers
May 9, 2022
Lowcountry Local First was delighted to catch up with the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, a supporting partner of Eat Drink Local Month. Commissioner Hugh Weathers answered some burning questions we had about the agriculture industry, how the department works with our state’s farmers and consumers, and more!… Read More
May 2022 Advocacy Updates
May 2, 2022
Below are things you should know or take action on right now as a local-independent business owner or leader: Charleston County Relief *GRANTS* for Small Biz — Deadline is May 6th! This is a one-time relief grant intended to help mitigate past and present perils of COVID-19 on… Read More
April 2022 Advocacy Updates
Apr 5, 2022
Movement on federal legislation to promote fair competition: Small Business Rising is a coalition of independent businesses and local business support organizations working together to level the playing field and act as a united voice for independent businesses urging elected leaders to break the power of monopolies like… Read More
Q&A with GrowFood Carolina
Mar 30, 2022
With Eat Drink Local Month quickly approaching, Lowcountry Local First heard from one of its community partners, GrowFood Carolina. Anthony Mirisciotta, General Manager, offered some insight on how business is going. What are the biggest pain points or concerns for GrowFood right now? In 2021, GrowFood Carolina celebrated… Read More
March 2022 Advocacy Updates
Mar 2, 2022
– Save Our Indie Restaurants: Congress needs to step up and save neighborhood restaurants and bars from extinction. For two years now, restaurants around the country have been struggling to keep their lights on, staff paid, and doors open. Nearly 200K restaurants were denied access to the first… Read More
February 2022 Advocacy Updates
Jan 31, 2022
– Doing Business Update: South Carolina businesses have historically been subject to business license taxes on their gross income that vary widely from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The South Carolina Business License Tax Standardization Act (the “Act”) was enacted in 2020, but the effective date was generally delayed until… Read More
In Support of the Human Affairs and Racial Conciliation Commission
Jan 18, 2022
Lowcountry Local First supports the approval of the Human Affairs and Racial Conciliation Commission to continue to provide focus on policy solutions to address equity and economic empowerment in the City of Charleston. As we work to transform lives and build sustainable communities through business ownership, we realize… Read More
LLF Advocacy Updates
Nov 30, 2021
The following are advocacy updates impacting local-independent businesses at the local, state, or federal level. For questions or more info, please contact Director of Operations, Lauren Gellatly, at lauren@lowcountrylocalfirst.org. Update on Expanded Outdoor Dining Regulations [LOCAL] Several Lowcountry municipalities loosened regulations during COVID to allow restaurants and bars… Read More
Bank of America Partners with Lowcountry Local First to Support Entrepreneurial Programs as Part of Commitment to Economic Mobility
Mar 17, 2021
$40,000 in Grant Funding Will Expand Small Business Programs as Spring Business Academy Cohorts Commence Lowcountry Local First (LLF), a nonprofit focused on economic development centered around local ownership, today announced Bank of America has provided funding to help sustain LLF’s efforts to cultivate an economy anchored in local… Read More
WSJ: "PPP is reopening. What's different this time?"
Dec 22, 2020
The below was posted on WSJ.com, Dec 22, 2020: The Paycheck Protection Program is getting a reboot as part of Congress’s latest coronavirus stimulus package. The $900 billion deal includes $284 billion for PPP, which will reopen after closing in August. Much like the program’s first iteration, the… Read More