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.
Donor Name: North Carolina Department of Commerce
State: North Carolina
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 11/01/2022
Size of the Grant: $950,000
Details:
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.
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.
Funding Information
The maximum grant amount is $950,000 per grantee, with some restrictions for specific activities. There is no minimum grant amount.
Eligibility Criteria
Units of local government located within Tier 1 and Tier 2 Counties, and Rural Census Tracts in Tier 3 Counties, are eligible for this program. REDD shall prioritize disbursing grants to units of local government serving populations that are negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic at a disproportionate level when compared to the rest of the State, or located in a Qualified Census Tract as defined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
REDD may also give special consideration to applicants requesting funding for projects located in designated Main Street and Small-Town Main Street communities in Tier 1 Counties, Tier 2 Counties, or Rural Census Tracts in Tier 3 Counties.
Criteria to determine communities negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic at a disproportionate level include:
- Low-income households and communities
- Households residing in Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs)
- Households that qualify for certain federal benefits (e.g., TANF, SNAP, SSI, WIC, Section 8 vouchers, LIHEAP)
- Households receiving services provided by Tribal governments
Low-income households and communities are defined as:
- Income at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Income at or below 40 percent of area median income for its county
- Applicants may use a default household size of three when easier for administration
- Applicants may consider any household earning below $40,626 as disproportionately impacted
Disproportionately Impacted Small Businesses and Non-Profits are defined as:
- Small businesses or Non-profits operating in Qualified Census Tracts
- Small businesses or Non-Profits operated by Tribal governments or on Tribal lands
- Small businesses or Non-Profits operating in U.S. territories
Applicants may determine whether to measure income levels for specific households or for a geographic area based on the type of service to be provided. For example, applicants developing a program that serves specific households may measure income at the household level. Applicants providing a service that reaches a general geographic area may measure median income of that area.
For more information, visit Rural Transformation Grants Program.
