The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved seven grant requests on Apr. 16 to local governments, totaling $41 million in private and public investment and supporting the creation of 215 jobs, with 26 of those previously announced.
The grants are part of efforts to support economic growth in rural areas through programs such as the Building Reuse Program and the Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account program. These initiatives aim to renovate or expand buildings, including healthcare facilities, that will generate new jobs in counties identified as economically distressed.
According to the press release, all seven grant recipients were companies represented by the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). The EDPNC is a private nonprofit corporation that works under contract with the North Carolina Department of Commerce while receiving private sector backing, according to the official website. It operates under an 18-member board made up of business and industry representatives from across the state according to its official website.
The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina focuses on fostering economic growth and improving quality of life for residents according to its official website. It also helped secure North Carolina’s designation as America’s Top State for Business by CNBC multiple times according to its official website.
The Rural Infrastructure Authority is a 17-member board appointed by state officials. In addition to approving funding requests, it formulates policies for grant and loan programs administered by N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development team. For more information about NC Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, visit www.commerce.nc.gov/rural-economic-development-division.
