Sen. Tim Scott

Senator, South Carolina

Having grown up along South Carolina’s coast, I am unfortunately all too familiar with the havoc that flooding wreaks on communities across the nation. Walking through the remains and aftermath of hurricanes here in the Palmetto State is always a sobering reminder of the importance of proper flood mitigation efforts and a well-functioning National Flood Insurance Program. Throughout my career, I’ve fought to advance legislation to strengthen the NFIP and help better prepare communities to safeguard their homes and businesses before disaster strikes. I’m honored to be recognized as an AFC Senate Federal Champion and will continue this important work to make communities more resilient to the ravages of flood damage.

A native South Carolinian, Tim Scott grew up disillusioned in a poor, single parent household in North Charleston. Thanks to the support of his hard-working mom and generous mentor, Scott rose to become president of his high school student body, graduated from Charleston Southern University, and built a successful small business.

His tenure includes his public service as a member of Charleston’s County Council and as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. He went on to represent South Carolina’s Lowcountry in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011–2013. In 2013, Scott was appointed by Governor Nikki Haley to serve the remainder of Senator Jim DeMint’s term. He was subsequently elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 and reelected in 2016.

In the 117th Congress, Senator Scott serves on the Senate Committees on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs; Small Business and Entrepreneurship; Finance; and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. He also serves as ranking member of the Special Senate Committee on Aging.

As a Lowcountry native, former small business owner, and insurance professional, Senator Scott has seen the Palmetto State’s flooding challenges firsthand. In the Senate, he has championed a bipartisan proposal that would incentivize proactive local planning to help communities reduce the number of repeatedly flooded properties.

 

The American Flood Coalition is an IRS Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The American Flood Coalition is not a Congressional Membership Organization and nothing on this website shall be read to imply official sponsorship by either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate or any of their respective Members. Federal Champion is an honorary title awarded by the American Flood Coalition to recognize Members of Congress who have come together to drive adaptation to the reality of higher seas, stronger storms, and more frequent flooding.

Back to all members

Join Our Newsletter

Name(Required)

Help Me Choose

Which characteristics is your community looking for in funding opportunities?

Disaster declaration
A Presidential Disaster Declaration unlocks a suite of federal programs that assist local governments with disaster recovery. This is a good filter for communities included in recent Disaster Declarations related to flooding.
Nature-based solutions
The program has a strong focus on providing assistance to promote a healthy ecosystem as a critical defense against flooding impacts. Eligible activities may include floodplain restoration, environmental stewardship, projects that use natural features to mitigate erosion, and living shorelines.
Encourages public-private partnerships
The program encourages or requires collaboration between government entities and stakeholders, including the private sector, to fund, develop, or implement projects.
Offers rolling deadlines
The program accepts applications on an ongoing basis with no fixed deadline.

Is your project in the planning, design, or construction phase?

Planning
The gathering of data and information regarding the extent and impacts of flooding. Eligible activities may include data acquisition, risk assessment, and environmental analysis.
Design & scoping
Covers pre-construction activities, such as defining project scope, developing technical designs, and securing funding to prepare for implementation.
Construction & implementation
Involves carrying out flood resilience projects, including building infrastructure and deploying solutions to reduce flood risks.

Are you looking for grants, loans, or technical assistance for your project?

Funding (grants)
A monetary award that does not need to be repaid. Many federal grants are reimbursable, meaning recipients must cover project costs upfront and then request reimbursement from the government.
Financing (loans)
A government-issued loan that must be repaid. These loans typically provide funding upfront, helping communities cover project costs before repayment begins.
Technical assistance
Assistance from the government in the form of services — such as project planning, engineering and design support, data analysis, training, capacity building, or collaboration through a cooperative agreement — instead of direct funding.

Some programs provide extra support for specific project types or communities. Do any of these apply to your project?

Small or rural communities
Programs that set aside funding, offer loan forgiveness, or adjust cost share requirements for communities with smaller populations.
Small or low-cost projects
Programs that offer reduced requirements for smaller projects, such as waived cost-sharing or exemptions from benefit-cost analysis.
Regional or watershed focus
Programs that support projects that take a watershed management approach or address flooding at a regional scale, requiring coordination beyond a single town or community.
Tribal communities
Programs that dedicate resources or adjust cost share requirements specifically for tribal governments or organizations.
View Results