Today, Governor Roy Cooper declared that 29 local governments in North Carolina’s rural regions have been allocated grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund. This fund is a significant resource for supporting rural economic development initiatives across the state. In this third disbursement cycle, the fund will distribute a total of $8 million. The fund, managed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division, assists local governments in overcoming barriers hindering their economic competitiveness.
“These transformative grants can make a real difference in rural communities by reviving downtowns and strengthening neighborhoods,” said Governor Roy Cooper in a press release. “These funds, with the support of our rural development team at the Department of Commerce, will bring more economic opportunity to people across the state.”
7 towns in the Charlotte region (Albemarle, Archdale, Morganton, Boiling Springs, Cramerton, China Grove, and Marshville) will receive a combined $1,594,998 to revitalize their downtowns.
The Rural Transformation Grant Fund distributed grants across four categories:
- Downtown Revitalization: This category aids downtown development initiatives that leverage the commercial core of a community into an asset for economic growth and prosperity.
- Resilient Neighborhoods: Grants under this category focus on community development and improving the quality of life. It includes initiatives like eliminating food deserts, promoting healthy living, and increasing access to affordable housing.
- Community Enhancements for Economic Growth: This category offers grants to local governments to facilitate economic development opportunities, like the acquisition of land and buildings, preparing business sites, and removing structural and physical obstacles that might be hindering development.
- Rural Community Capacity Building (RC2): This category provides educational and professional development opportunities for local government staff. It also allows these governments to implement what they have learned by developing funding proposals for local projects.
The complete list of local governments awarded project grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund include:
Downtown Revitalization Category
City of Albemarle: $270,000
City of Archdale: $180,000
City of Burlington: $425,000
City of Clinton: $350,000
City of Morganton: $450,000
City of Mount Airy: $475,000
City of Whiteville: $400,000
Town of Belhaven: $380,000
Town of Boiling Spring: $195,000
Town of Canton: $390,000
Town of Jefferson: $270,000
Town of Franklinton: $230,000
Resilient Neighborhoods Category
City of Reidsville: $250,000
Town of Bethel: $200,000
Town of Faison: $180,000
Town of Hildebran: $300,000
Town of Hudson: $250,000
Town of Nags Head: $650,000
Town of Star: $200,000
Town of Williamston: $180,000
Community Enhancements Category
City of Hamlet: $400,000
Town of Cameron: $400,000
Town of Cramerton: $400,000
Town of Elizabethtown: $150,000
Town of Wagram: $70,000
Rural Community Capacity (RC2) Category
Town of Carthage: $49,999
Town of China Grove: $49,999
Town of Hildebran: $49,500
Town of Marshville: $49,999
Town of Vass: $49,999
Established in March of the previous year, the Rural Transformation Grant Fund has now expended its total available funds of $48 million. However, community needs surpass this, with local jurisdictions proposing projects totaling $165 million for consideration. The third grant cycle received project applications totaling $44 million, exceeding the available funding.
What do you think about the recent grants?
