Two State 2% ATAX Grants Awarded to PRSF from Beaufort County
August 11, 2025
The Port Royal Sound Foundation (PRSF) was recently awarded two grants from Beaufort County’s 2024-25 State 2% Accommodations Tax (ATAX) program. The first grant was awarded in December 2024 in the amount of $37,000 for tourism marketing. The second grant came after Beaufort County reopened a second round of applications due to the availability of extra funds, and was awarded in June 2025 in the amount of $52,510 for Maritime Center dock repairs.
Funds for Beaufort County’s State ATAX grants come from South Carolina’s 2% tax on overnight stays in hotels, motels, inns, and vacation rentals within unincorporated Beaufort County. These funds are then distributed to local organizations through a grant program, with the intention of promoting tourism and funding tourism-related activities within the area.
As the only organization dedicated to the conservation of the Port Royal Sound—the environmental jewel of Beaufort County—PRSF is proud to constantly find new and exciting ways to teach people about the Sound. ATAX grants provide PRSF with the opportunity to extend its reach to more people, especially those visiting the area and benefitting from this incredible natural resource.
Our newest video series, “A Sound Future Starts Here,” launched in spring 2025 thanks to the support of ATAX funds. These videos highlight the variety of ways people interact with the Port Royal Sound—from fishing to citizen science and more—with more videos set to launch later this year. As a component of this grant, and in partnership the Beaufort-Port Royal Convention and Visitors Bureau, PRSF is also sending two representatives to the Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA) conference in Savannah August 22-25. This is an exciting opportunity to connect with organizers planning trips for students all over the country and encourage them to come learn from everything Beaufort offers.
PRSF’s free Maritime Center museum and aquarium welcomed over 27,000 in 2024 to explore the museum or participate in programming. The location of the Maritime Center, situated right on the banks of the Chechessee River, is a critical part of helping visitors connect what they learn inside the museum to the real-life environment outside its doors. PRSF was glad to be able to use ATAX funds to replace the decking on our Maritime Center pierhead and floating dock. The safety and enjoyability of our guests are always our top priority, and these necessary renovations are an important part of that work.
Grant funds received through Beaufort County’s 2% ATAX program have provided invaluable support to PRSF and its programs over the years, helping us to constantly reach and educate more tourists. PRSF is grateful for Beaufort County’s consistent dedication to serving local organizations, attracting visitors to the area, and enriching the lives of anyone living, working, or traveling to Beaufort County.