Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ)

Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ) is sponsored by North Carolina Department of Commerce (administering for local governments). This program offers grants to local governments in North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene to rebuild damaged infrastructure that small businesses rely on, including restoring and repairing critical infrastructure for small businesses.

Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program | NC Commerce Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program Local governments in North Carolina located in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene can now apply for grants from the new Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ) , a $55 million dollar fund designed to rebuild the damaged infrastructure that small businesses rely on to operate and thrive.

Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division administers the program, funded through legislation recently passed by the North Carolina General Assembly ( House Bill 47/Session Law 2025-2 ). The SmBIZ fund is not related to a separate, federal Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, which includes a Commercial District Revitalization component.

This CDBG-DR grant is managed by another Commerce business unit, the Division of Community Revitalization. Access the SmBIZ Grant Application First time visitors to our Rural Connect portal above will need to register as a new user.

Purpose of the SmBIZ Fund Provide financial assistance for community recovery and resilience to communities specifically impacted by Hurricane Helene, helping to bring back vital services for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Restore and repair critical infrastructure, allowing small businesses to resume function and operations to support economic recovery and sustainability.

Assist in restoring or expanding small businesses’ ability to attract customers to business districts to help retain business, expand access, spur private investment to create stability, and leverage resources to create resiliency and economic growth. The SmBIZ program will offer grants to local governments, and the related infrastructure projects will target and support small businesses that employ 150 or fewer employees.

Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Grants awarded under this program must be used by local governments to address qualifying infrastructure needs that Commerce, in consultation with applicant local governments and related small businesses, determines are the result of Hurricane Helene’s impact and have adversely affected access to, or operations of, the identified small businesses.

Qualifying infrastructure must serve one or more businesses within the identified project area and must have been damaged by Hurricane Helene. The infrastructure cannot be owned by the small business, nor can it be such that the small business is responsible for maintaining it.

Infrastructure may include but will not be limited to water, sewer, gas, telecommunications, high-speed broadband, electrical utility, sidewalk and curb infrastructure, and other repairs that remove barriers and restore or increase access to impacted small businesses.

Guidelines & Statutes: Small Business Infrastructure Grants Guidelines & Statutes: Small Business Infrastructure Grants Guidelines | Small Business Infrastructure Grants Compliance | Local Government Certifications Document for the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (smBIZ) This document is used by local government applicants to the North Carolina Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (smBIZ) to certify that the information attached and included in the application are true, correct, and complete.

Compliance | Form Listing Businesses Involved with a Small Business Infrastructure Grant This document provides necessary information for each small business involved with the project.

Sample | Local Government Resolution for the Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (smBIZ) This document can be adapted and used to officially approve, at the local level, an application to be submitted to the Department of Commerce for a grant from the Small Business Infrastructure Grant program and is required to participate in the program.

For additional information: Rural Engagement & Investment Rural Economic Development Division hazel. edmond@commerce. nc.

gov This page was last modified on 08/05/2026