Upper Savannah was the first multi-county planning and development organization to be created in South Carolina and is now a part of South Carolina's 10 sub-state regional Council of Governments system. (www.sccogs.org ) The Upper Savannah region includes six counties: Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick and Saluda. Upper Savannah serves as the umbrella administrative organization for regional activities, has city and county government representation and works closely with local, state and federal government agencies.

The Council provides a wide scope of services and performs many functions ranging from assistance to the elderly, loans to small business, workforce development, and regional economic development.USCOG also develops and coordinates regional plans which provide local leaders with a view of the region as a whole and how city and county needs and issues interrelate. We identify solutions and opportunities related to regional challenges and offer consultation and technical assistance to local governments on a day-to-day basis.

Upper Savannah has an annual budget in excess of $8 million, including pass-through funds, a 32-member Board of Directors, and a staff of 20 employed in six divisions.