Topics Related to Community

North Carolina’s designated Main Street and Small Town Main Street communities have leveraged more than $5.2 billion in public and private investment in their downtown districts since 1980, according to new figures released today by the Department of Commerce.During the recently completed 2022-23 fiscal year, North Carolina’s Main Street programs leveraged $684,637,060 in local public and private investment and saw 365 new businesses and nearly 3,000 jobs added in their downtown districts.
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved five grant requests to local governments totaling $1,384,730, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 133 jobs. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $68.3 million in private investment.
Local governments in 69 North Carolina counties can now apply for funding from a program associated with the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC), a state and federal partnership agency crafted along the model of the long-established Appalachian Regional Commission. The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division manages the state’s engagement with SCRC.The inaugural grant cycle from SCRC’s State Economic and Infrastructure Development Grant Program (SEID) will provide $4.5 million for projects in North Carolina.
The North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center has selected Mebane and Zebulon as the latest “North Carolina Main Street Communities”, while Thomasville has been selected to participate in the Downtown Associate Community (DAC) program.
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 11 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,478,850, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 383 jobs, 173 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $91 million in private investment.
Governor Roy Cooper announced today that 29 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, a robust source of support for rural economic development projects in North Carolina. A total of $8 million will be issued in this third round of grantmaking from the Fund, which helps local governments overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. The North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division administers the fund.
Thirteen rural communities from across the state have been selected to participate in the Commerce Department’s program to increase their capacity to plan, implement, and manage economic development programs and opportunities.
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved nine grant requests to local governments totaling $2,221,694, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 191 jobs, 22 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $49.5 million in private investment.    
A third opportunity opened today for local governments in North Carolina’s rural areas to once again apply for a Rural Transformation Grant.  The popular grant program from the Department of Commerce helps communities overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division administers the $48 million grant fund.
Nine communities will receive awards for excellence in downtown revitalization during the North Carolina Main Street Awards Ceremony in Statesville this evening. Assistant Secretary of Rural Development Kenny Flowers, and Director of the North Carolina Main Street and Rural Planning Center Liz Parham, will present the awards in categories that include economic vitality, design, promotion, and organization.