Community Needs Assessment Survey

The Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement invites you to share your voice. We are seeking input from communities across South Carolina to better understand the experiences, challenges, and priorities you and your community are facing. We are committed to meeting communities where they are listening directly, engaging authentically, and ensuring your voices are heard in meaningful ways. This survey is an opportunity to share your perspective and help inform community-focused initiatives and positive change across the state. Thank you for taking the time to tell us what matters most to you.

Now Hiring a Project Manager

Now Hiring! We're looking for a Project Manager to join our agency.

This person will serve as an enterprise project manager and/or oversight project manager for assigned internal and external (agency) projects.

The candidate will be responsible for managing and directing the initiation, planning, execution, control, and close-out phases of the project life cycle for assigned projects. The deadline to apply is June 11, 2026.

The Evolution: South Carolina Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement

For more than 30 years, the Commission has walked alongside South Carolina’s diverse communities by providing in-depth research, fostering and strengthening connections, honoring traditions and cultures, and creating economic opportunities. Our legacy of service continues, now under a new name that reflects our growing mission. In May 2025, the agency’s statute was changed. As a result of this change, we have been renamed as the South Carolina Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement.

As we look ahead, our new name represents an evolution: a broader vision, new and deeper partnerships, and more innovative approaches to advancing communities across the state. While our name has changed, our commitment to building strong communities remains unchanged and unwavering. We invite you join us in this evolution. Together, we can shape a future where opportunity and prosperity are within the reach of every South Carolinian.

Don't Forget to vote

The June 9 primary election and early voting are continuing as scheduled under the current congressional district lines.

The South Carolina Senate adjourned without advancing the proposed congressional redistricting plan, and there are currently no plans to redraw congressional districts or hold an additional congressional primary election in 2026.

Voters should continue planning to vote in the June 9 primary under the existing maps.

Visit scVOTES.gov for voting information, polling locations and sample ballots.

South Carolina’s Agriculture 2024 Snapshot

Monthly data visualization from Research and Statistical Analyst Jyothsna Atla.

For questions about the visualization, contact Jyothsna Atla at jatla@advance.sc.gov.

2026-2027 Board of Commissioners / Advisory Council Meeting Dates

• Board of Commissioners (Meeting begins at 10 a.m. on the third Thursday)
• June 18, 2026
• September 17, 2026
• December 10, 2026 (moved to the second Thursday due to the holidays)
• March 18, 2027
• June 17, 2027
• September 16, 2027
• December 9, 2027 (moved to the second Thursday due to the holidays)

• Community Engagement Advisory Council
• September 1, 2026
• December 1, 2026
• March 2, 2027
• June 1, 2027
• September 17, 2027
• December 7, 2027

• Small Business Advisory Council ( All meetings are held at 10 a.m. via Zoom)
• June 17, 2026
• September 9, 2026
• December 15, 2026
• March 10, 2027
• June 9, 2027
• September 8, 2027
• December 14, 2027

The meetings will be streamed live via the Commission’s YouTube page.

Those who wish to participate in the public input portion of the Board of Commissioners meeting should email your comments to info@advance.sc.gov. Comments must be received no later than 12 noon on the day prior to the scheduled meeting. Please include the following information when submitting public comments:

• Name
• Phone Number
• Date of Meeting
• Meeting Name
• Agenda Item
• Comment (500 words or less)

For more information, contact the Commission at 803-333-9621 or info@advance.sc.gov.

Meet the Intern

Catherine Moore is a junior at Morris College pursuing her Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Catherine is passionate about making a difference on and off campus; she channels her love for community-driven organizational work into her current role as an Administrative Assistant with the Commission.

The Koger Center for the Arts has set the headliners for the first Levitt AMP Columbia Music Series, a series of free outdoor concerts sponsored in part by the Levitt

Foundation. The concerts will take place on the Plaza Stage on the Koger Center's front lawn from 5 - 7 p.m., with the rain location being indoors in either the Black Box Theater or second floor lobby. 

The full lineup features ten concerts split between the spring and fall seasons. All concerts are free, open to the public and will have opportunities for off stage community engagement for the audience. The schedule is as follows: 

Fall:

• Thursday, September 10: Admiral Radio
• Thursday, September 17: Black Nerd Mafia
• Thursday, September 24: Molly Martin
• Thursday, October 1: Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise
• Thursday, October 8: Sam Morrow
• Thursday, October 15: Making Movies

Each concert will feature a local Midlands based opening act. The Levitt AMP Columbia Music Series is dedicated to uplifting Columbia as a cultural hub and destination for accessible entertainment. The series is supported by a variety of community partners, including the Jasper Project, ONE Columbia, ColaJazz, South Carolina Philharmonic, University of South Carolina Student Life, Black Nerd Mafia, the South Carolina Commission for Community Advancement and Engagement, the City of Columbia, the Columbia Chamber, and the Vista Guild.

Geared to towns and cities with populations under 250,000, Levitt AMP grantees reflect the three goals of the LevittAMP Music Series program: Amplify community pride and a city’s unique character; enrich lives through the power of free, live Music; and illustrate the importance of inclusive and vibrant public Places. From rural Alaska to Appalachian Main Streets and Midwestern locales, Levitt AMP is a catalytic opportunity for towns and cities across America to realize a shared mission—building community through music to create a healthy and thriving future for all. Columbia is the only Levitt AMP location in South Carolina.

Columbia residents are encouraged to follow along with the development of the series over the next three years by visiting www.KogerCenterForTheArts.com, and following @LevittAmpColumbia and @KogerCenterForTheArts on Instagram.

SC Uplift Property Prevention Program

W. Brent Burgin Lunch and Learn Lecture Series

Native American Studies Center:

Cultivating Connections Garden Program: The Layered Landscape

Native American Studies Center: Meet the Author