Topics Related to Community

Forty-seven individuals and organizations will be honored as Main Street Champions at a recognition ceremony on March 13th in Mooresville, celebrating their outstanding contributions to downtown revitalization and community building in 2024. With the addition of this year’s recipients, the North Carolina Department of Commerce has now recognized a total of 962 Main Street Champions since 2000. The ceremony is a key highlight of the annual North Carolina Main Street Conference, the nation’s largest statewide downtown revitalization gathering.

Ten communities will receive awards for excellence in downtown revitalization during the annual North Carolina Main Street Awards Ceremony, Wednesday, March 12 in Mooresville. North Carolina Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary of Rural Development Kenny Flowers and N.C. Main Street and Rural Planning Center Director Liz Parham will present awards in design, organization, and economic vitality.

Governor Josh Stein today announced that the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 13 grant requests to local governments totaling $9,627,500. The grants include commitments creating a total of 785 jobs, 414 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $165.9 million in public and private investment. 

Today, Governor Josh Stein invites North Carolinians to participate in the development of an Action Plan to address unmet housing and economic revitalization hurricane recovery needs in western North Carolina. The $1.4 billion proposed plan, published today by N.C.

Stephanie McGarrah, a public sector executive with roots in western North Carolina and extensive experience managing complex funding organizations joined the North Carolina Department of Commerce January 22 as the department’s Deputy Secretary for the newly established Division of Community Revitalization (DCR).  Appointed as part of Governor Josh Stein’s recovery and revitalization focus for western North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, McGarrah will play a key role in supporting recovery efforts and managing certain federal block grant funds designated for the recovery

The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has been extended to March 10, 2025, for people in 39 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina. Applications for DUA can be filed at des.nc.gov.The extension to March 10, 2025, maintains consistency with the deadlines set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and allows the Division of Employment Security to continue to provide temporary financial support to people impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The 2025 North Carolina Main Street Conference is bringing community and economic development leaders together in downtown Mooresville from March 11-13. Organized by the North Carolina Department of Commerce and its N.C.

Today in Boone, Governor Josh Stein joined Dogwood Health Trust to announce a $30 million small business grant program to support businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene and bolster economic recovery. Small businesses with an annual revenue of up to and including $2.5 million are eligible to apply for grants up to $50,000 from the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative grant program.

The February 6th deadline to timely apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) for 39 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians of North Carolina is quickly approaching. DES will continue to process DUA applications as they are received. Applications for DUA can be filed at des.nc.gov.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce awarded 20 Community Development Block Grant - Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) fund requests to 20 local governments totaling $25.8 million. The requests will provide housing and public improvements for low- and moderate-income North Carolinians.“We’ve continued to make major investments in North Carolina communities that need support with affordable housing,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “These neighborhood revitalization grants will help rural communities improve economic prosperity for all of their residents.”