Welcome to Lowcountry Council of Governments

Often called “LCOG”, "LowCOG" or simply “the COG”—Lowcountry Council of Governments serves the four-county area between Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia and is one of the ten regional councils covering South Carolina.  Established in 1971 as a resource for the twenty-five local governments in the Lowcountry Region of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton and Jasper Counties, its mission includes serving as an advocate for regionalism and a connection between those local governments and certain state and federal agencies.  It also operates a number of regional programs.
 
LCOG is a public agency governed by a thirty-two member board of directors appointed by participating local governments.  The four counties and every municipality with a population of at least 1,000 are members.  State legislators from the region may also serve on the board, and mayors of smaller towns are invited to join as non-voting members. Board meetings bring together officials from across the region to oversee COG activities and promote a regional vision.
 
COG operations are organized into four broad program areas:  Community & Economic Development, Workforce Development, Planning, and Aging & Disability. LCOG has no taxing authority, but receives annual dues from each county and a state appropriation, both based on population. This seed money is leveraged into an annual budget of more than $6 million through federal, state and local contracts for service and programs such as Areawide Water Quality Management, Workforce Investment Act, grants development and administration, SCDOT multi-modal transportation planning, EDA revolving loan fund, and HUD affordable housing.  Organizationally, the COG resembles a public-sector consulting firm. It has no monopoly and must compete for funding and maintain a high level of client satisfaction.   
 
Located between two international airports and shipping ports, home to the proposed Jasper Ocean Terminal, and with numerous affordable land parcels available on I-95, the Lowcountry Region is uniquely positioned for growth in domestic and international business. The region includes the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and the U. S. Naval Hospital in Beaufort, as well as the world-class community of Hilton Head Island and the environmentally protected ACE Basin. Temperate climate and southeastern U. S. coastal location make the Lowcountry a favorite destination for tourists and retirees. 
 
Welcome to LCOG and the South Carolina Lowcountry.

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NOTE: Photographs on this site are owned by LCOG or used with permission of owner and may not be used without written permission. Lowcountry Council of Governments is not responsible for content of linked websites.