Barnwell County

DEE Certified June 2021

One of the first communities in the state to become DEE Certified, Barnwell County started building its DEE roadmap in 2019 despite the pandemic and a significant broadband deficit.

Fifteen community leaders worked together for two years to design and implement a Roadmap with custom solutions addressing specific community needs. Innovative projects and progress are going strong, and new DEE champions are joining the local movement.

Led by the Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber of Commerce and the new Palmetto Innovation Center, Barnwell County’s DEE effort is leading the state in digital-focused activities, leveraging existing pockets of high-speed internet while waiting for county-wide broadband infrastructure.

Some of Barnwell County's most significant accomplishments to date include:

Launching the Palmetto Innovation Center & Co-Working Space
Hiring a full-time program director
Hosting Summer Tech Institutes for rising 7-9th graders
Proving a rotating menu of digital skills training courses
Developing a bridge event for school districts & industry leaders
Launching a co-working space in Williston
Launching a mobile telehealth program
Establishing a business accelerator program in Barnwell & Allendale Counties
Launching an SC Codes cohort

Just this week, I helped a 60-year-old woman produce her first 30-second TikTok, helped an entrepreneur shape the budget for a new drive-in movie theater, and hosted an information session with a local photographer to help community members get professional headshots.

Bob Snead

President, Southern Palmetto Regional Chamber of Commerce

Barnwell County

Some of Barnwell County's most significant accomplishments to date include:

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