Columbia — Cheraw will receive $315,640 as one of 28 communities in the state getting Community Development Block Grants, the South Carolina Department of Commerce announced.

Cheraw is expected to use the money for drainage improvements.

Statewide the grants, totalling $11 million, will benefit more than 14,000 residents.

“The CDBG program consistently has a positive impact on communities across our state that lack resources for community development,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. “These resources not only help improve residents’ quality of life, but also help create a more competitive environment for bringing jobs and investment.”

The projects receiving grants were selected through a statewide competitive process. Communities receiving CDBG funding are required to provide at least 10 percent matching funds. To secure grant funding, communities must demonstrate how they will use grant funds to ensure healthy and safe neighborhoods. Projects will address improvements to water, sewer or drainage infrastructure. These projects will eliminate contaminated or dry wells, overflows in septic tanks or drainage, and will result in safe drinking water, improved fire protection, improved treatment of sewage and protection from property damage. By making these strategic capital investments, public health, safety or environmental quality concerns will be addressed.

Approximately 87 percent of these funds will be invested within counties that are not considered “developed.” In all, 10,000 low- to moderate-income households will benefit from these improvements.

All grants awarded through the CDBG program must meet at least one of three objectives:

— Benefit low and moderate income persons.

— Aid in the prevention or elimination of slums and blighting conditions.

— Meet other urgent community development needs where existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to public health and welfare and where other financial resources are not readily available to meet such needs.

The grants funds are allocated annually to South Carolina from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Department of Commerce administers the CDBG program for the state. The program assists communities in providing housing, a suitable living environment and expanded economic opportunities. Grants are awarded to local governments to carry out a wide range of activities addressing housing and community development needs. More than 70 percent of the funding will assist the state’s lower income residents.