NC Commerce: Rural Economic Development Division

When your rural community needs help attracting businesses, call on the Rural Economic Development Division. That’s because we provide expert advice based on a community’s specific needs and can connect you with the funding your area needs to make things happen. The Rural Economic Development Division heads up a growing number of grant programs, and we provide planning services, analysis and identification of resources needed to strengthen rural economic and community development projects.

Our 2021 Results

Our Programs & Services:

Strategic Economic Development Planning

Community Strategic Planning – Create a technical economic development plan for your community | SERVICE
Downtown Development Planning – Build a sound plan to strengthen or revitalize your downtown area when you work with our experts in the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center | SERVICE
Western N.C. Strategic Consulting and Funding – N.C.’s Office for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) provides social and economic support for 29 counties in Western North Carolina | SERVICE & PROGRAM

Public Infrastructure Support

Public Infrastructure: State - Rural Grants – Develop or improve the public infrastructure that’s necessary to attract businesses, such as water, sewer, and gas lines. We grant local communities this money | PROGRAM
Public Infrastructure: Federal - CDBG Grants – Develop or improve the physical structures necessary to attract businesses, such as water, sewer, and gas lines. We grant local communities this money | PROGRAM
Public Infrastructure: Utility Fund — Develop or improve utilities in counties ranked as either Tier 1 or Tier 2. We grant local communities this money | PROGRAM

Building Renovation/Demolition

Building Reuse: State - Rural Grants - Renovate old or vacant buildings to attract new or expanding businesses. Funds are granted to local governments. | PROGRAM
Building Reuse: Federal - CDBG Grants - Renovate old or vacant buildings to attract new or expanding businesses. Funds are granted to local governments. | PROGRAM
Building Demolition: State - Rural Grants – Clear off old buildings from promising industrial sites with these grants | PROGRAM
Building Demolition: Federal - CDBG Grants – Clear off old buildings from promising industrial sites with these grants | PROGRAM

Building and Site Development

Shell Buildings - Federal - CDBG Grants – Build a shell building in your community with supporting funds available to local governments from this program | PROGRAM
Rural ReadySites – Prepare industrial sites in your Tier 1 or Tier 2 community using funds from this new program. | PROGRAM
Downtown Development: Grants – Support small businesses and downtown development agencies with a grant from the Main Street Solutions Fund | PROGRAM

Disaster Recovery

Disaster Recovery: State Rural Grants and Federal (CDBG) Grants — Secure funding for the repair, replacement or construction of new infrastructure. Available to local governments dealing with the aftermath of various natural disasters | PROGRAM

Rural Economic Development Division