Renew NC Opens $55M Grant Round to Rebuild WNC Infrastructure After Helene

Local governments across western North Carolina, including Rutherford County, can now apply for a share of $55 million in federal disaster recovery funding aimed at rebuilding infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Helene while making communities more resilient to future storms.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce's Division of Community Revitalization announced the first funding round Tuesday under the Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program, which is backed by a $193 million Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) allocation from the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development.The competitive grant program is designed to help local governments recover from Hurricane Helene while incorporating hazard mitigation into infrastructure improvements."Western North Carolina communities are working hard to rebuild, and this federal funding will help ensure their infrastructure is safer and stronger," Gov. Josh Stein said in a statement. "Together, we're protecting homes, supporting local economies, and making sure our communities are better able to withstand future storms."Grant awards are expected to range from $500,000 to $15 million per project.Eligible projects include:

• Flood control and stormwater management systems.

• Water and sewer infrastructure improvements.

• Road and bridge projects.

• Restoration of parks, community centers and other public spaces.

• Public utility rehabilitation.

• Property acquisition, demolition, site preparation and renovation.

State officials said this first funding round will prioritize water and sewer systems, parks and recreation facilities, and roads and bridges. Projects must be directly tied to Hurricane Helene recovery and comply with federal HUD requirements. Mitigation-only projects will not be funded during this round.

The Community Infrastructure Program serves HUD- and state-designated Most Impacted and Distressed areas, including Rutherford, Polk, McDowell, Burke, Cleveland, Henderson, Buncombe, Avery, Mitchell and more than 20 other western North Carolina counties.

North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley said the program is intended to move recovery projects from planning to construction.

"Today represents a critical step in helping local governments not just recover but build safer and more resilient infrastructure," Lilley said. "The Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program will support projects that are ready to move forward and deliver lasting benefits for our communities in western North Carolina that need it most."

Applications opened July 6 and must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Sept. 8.

Although not required, state officials are encouraging local governments to complete a free online prescreening process before applying. The prescreening allows applicants to receive technical assistance from state staff to evaluate project readiness and strengthen their proposals.

"We want to set our applicants up for success, and prescreening is an important step in that process — and it's free," Division of Community Revitalization Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah said.

The Community Infrastructure Program is the fourth major disaster recovery initiative launched under Renew NC, the state's long-term recovery effort funded through HUD's Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program following Hurricane Helene.