Governor Josh Stein has announced that nine small business recovery projects in western North Carolina will receive grants from the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s new Hurricane Helene recovery program. The initiative aims to assist local governments in rebuilding damaged infrastructure, with a total of $7.3 million allocated for projects in the City of Morganton, the towns of Gamewell and Clyde, and Chimney Rock Village.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, especially in western North Carolina, and this first round of infrastructure grants marks another important milestone on the road to recovery,” said Governor Stein. “I thank the legislature for funding these infrastructure investments.”
The $55 million program was initially announced by Governor Stein in late April and is managed by the Commerce Department’s Rural Economic Development Division. It provides local governments with resources for small business recovery, offering individual project grants up to $1 million. These funds aim to rebuild public infrastructure crucial for small businesses’ operations, including water, sewer, gas, telecommunications lines, sidewalks, curbs, and other necessary repairs.
The state funds were appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly as part of the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part 1. Funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and applications are still open.
“I’m grateful the North Carolina General Assembly quickly provided funds for this vital new infrastructure recovery program earlier in the year,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Commerce will continue to work on all fronts, from small business recovery to the rebuilding of damaged homes as we revitalize the western part of our state.”
The Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ) awards include:
– City of Morganton: $1 million for rehabilitating an 800-foot section of River Village Boardwalk.
– Town of Gamewell: $87,187 for replacing a failing sewer pump generator.
– Town of Clyde: $737,477 for repairing and enhancing sidewalk and curb infrastructure downtown.
– Chimney Rock Village: $5.5 million supporting six separate projects.
Detailed descriptions are available on the Commerce website. More information about SmBIZ can be found at commerce.nc.gov/SmBIZ.
