Rural Transformation Grant Fund Programs

Rural Transformation Grant Fund Programs is sponsored by North Carolina Department of Commerce, Rural Development Division. This fund administers grants and training services to support innovative approaches to increasing local capacity, COVID-19 recovery, building partnerships that help small businesses, leveraging downtown districts, and developing transformative local projects.

Rural Transformation Grants | NC Commerce Rural Transformation Grants Program Update - as of April 24, 2024 Currently, we're unable to accept applications for new grants from the Fund. We will update this page if future opportunities become available. The first, second, and third rounds of grant awards were announced on June 16 and December 14 of 2022 and on June 15, 2023.

The Rural Transformation Grant Fund provides local governments with grants and expert guidance to improve economic vitality and overcome the unique challenges many rural communities face. Open to local governments in the state's Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as qualified census tracts in Tier 3 counties, you may review a map with eligible areas here.

Rural Transformation Grants can support: Main Street and downtown investment and revitalization efforts; Initiatives that help create resilient neighborhoods; Community enhancements that spur economic growth; Professional development and education programs to build local government capacity The Fund, created by the North Carolina General Assembly in Session Law 2021-180 (S.

105) , has an available pool of $48 million for grantmaking in the four categories described below. As North Carolina recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and applies lessons from the public health emergency to improve community resiliency, the Rural Transformation Grant Fund offers a new resource to local government leaders as they guide their communities toward a brighter future. Review the program's guidelines here.

Additional reference materials and documents are also available. Access the Rural Transformation Grant Application First time visitors to our Rural Connect portal above will need to register as a new user. For more information, contact: Rural Engagement & Investment Program Director hazel.

edmond@nccommerce. com Community Enhancements for Economic Growth Rural Community Capacity Building Support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives that are intended to help local governments grow and leverage their Main Street and downtown districts as assets for economic growth, economic development, and prosperity.

Mixed-use Downtown Development Small Business Improvements Training and Technical Assistance To create resilient neighborhoods through community development, neighborhood revitalization, economic investments, and quality of life improvements.

Affordable Permanent Housing Neighborhood Improvements and Facilities Small Business Assistance Nutritional and Healthy Initiatives Community Enhancements for Economic Growth Provide grants to local governments in rural and distressed communities to support the acquisition of land and buildings, the preparation/development of neighborhood properties and business sites, and the removal of structural and physical barriers for the purpose of enhancing community growth and economic development opportunities.

For grants awarded through this program, there must be a reasonable expectation that funding will yield private sector investment and job creation, community development projects, or neighborhood revitalization.

Secure Abandoned Properties Environmental Remediation Demolition Paired with Neighborhood Revitalization Lot Cleaning and Greening Rural Community Capacity Building The Rural Community Capacity (RC2) category is a university-based collaborative that provides educational programming, technical assistance, capacity building, economic development consultation, and focused guidance to local governments in rural and distressed communities.

RC2 is offered partnership with the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University and East Carolina University’s Master of Public Administration program.

Capacity Building Training University-based curriculum Community-level Engagement, Training, and Consultation Development of Strategic Partnerships Capacity Building Implementation Feasibility and Market Analysis Streetscapes and Wayfinding WEBINAR RECORDING | New American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Resources To Help Rural… This page was last modified on 05/15/2024