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
Donor Name: North Carolina Department of Commerce
State: North Carolina
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: All Time
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The SmBIZ program will offer grants to local governmentsfor infrastructure projects that will target and support small businesses that employ 150 or fewer employees and that were adversely impacted by Hurricane Helene.
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.
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.
Funding Information
The maximum grant amount is $1M per grantee.
Eligible Projects and Expenses
Qualifying infrastructure must serve one or more businesses within the Affected Area, must have been damaged by Hurricane Helene, and must not be owned or maintained by the small business or businesses. Infrastructure may include but will not be limited to the following activities:
- water
- sewer
- gas
- telecommunications
- high-speed broadband
- electric utility
- sidewalk and curb infrastructure
Eligible expenses may also include planning, material, labor, and administration to complete public infrastructure improvements.
Eligibility Criteria
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.
For more information, visit NCDC.
