Today Governor Josh Stein celebrated that 7 projects supporting economic resilience after Hurricane Helene will receive $34.2 million in grants from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The grants will help expand economic opportunity and support long-term recovery across the region.

"Western North Carolina is working hard to rebuild from Hurricane Helene, and these grants are going to help communities build on that momentum," said Governor Josh Stein. "We are grateful to our federal partners for investing in the region's recovery and creating new opportunities for people and businesses. Let's keep at it and work together to build a stronger western North Carolina."

"Long after the immediate recovery work is done, economic opportunity will continue to shape the future of western North Carolina," said Matt Calabria, Director of GROW NC. "These investments will help communities build strong foundations for long-term growth. We need to keep investing in the people, businesses, and infrastructure that will carry this region forward for years to come."

"Western North Carolina has so many strengths that will power our recovery for years to come, from its people and small businesses to its natural beauty and vibrant communities," said Sharon Decker, Senior Advisor for Long-Term Recovery. "These investments recognize the incredible potential of this region and will help bring long-term recovery projects to life. We are grateful to our federal partners for recognizing what western North Carolina has to offer and for helping us build a stronger future for the region."

Projects receiving grants through the U.S. Economic Development Administration stretch across the region and represent a collaborative effort between universities, community colleges, local governments, private entities, and philanthropies. They are:

• Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Buncombe County (Asheville): $29.2 million for the construction of a new 70,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing workforce and innovation hub, which represents a partnership between multiple universities, community colleges, and economic development entities.
• Town of Murphy: $2.1 million for the construction of a new sewer lift station to support local businesses.
• Western Carolina University (Township of Cullowhee): $1.2 million for infrastructure improvements of the WCU-Cullowhee Dam, to support the local recreational economy.
• Land of Sky Council of Governments (Asheville): $500,000 to provide additional capacity and support recovery for hard-hit communities in Madison, Buncombe, and Henderson counties.
• Western Piedmont Council of Governments (Hickory): $500,000 to support a new regional disaster recovery coordinator position to assist in communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
• Centralina Economic Development Commission, Inc. (Charlotte): $400,000 for the development of a strategic analysis and regional engagement strategy to determine major employers and critical facilities and to support their resilience to natural disasters.
• Ashe County (Jefferson): $267,080 for the design, engineering, and permitting of three shell buildings at Ashe Industrial Park.

Through the EDA's Fiscal Year 2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program, Congress made available approximately $1.5 billion to support economic recovery in areas across the country that received major disaster declarations in 2023 and 2024. Partnering with private and philanthropic organizations, Governor Stein's administration has worked to support and strengthen more than 20 EDA funding applications in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The EDA continues to review applications on a rolling basis. Earlier this month, Cleveland Community College in Shelby was awarded a $1.7 million EDA grant to support the construction of a health care workforce training facility.

In July, Governor Stein signed Senate Bill 257 into law, enacting North Carolina's first full state budget in more than two years. The budget appropriates more than $700 million to support Hurricane Helene recovery - the third and largest Hurricane Helene recovery package since Governor Stein took office in January 2025. In June, Governor Stein returned to Washington, DC, to continue advocating for additional federal funding for Helene recovery. His $10 billion federal request includes funding to rebuild housing, strengthen infrastructure, and support small businesses.

Governor Stein and the North Carolina Department of Commerce have prioritized economic recovery in western North Carolina. The Commercial District Revitalization (CDR) Program, which provides grant funding opportunities for local governments and nonprofits that will help reinvigorate the commercial districts where small businesses operate, is accepting applications until August 4, 2026. Earlier this year, Governor Stein announced nearly $8.5 million in new infrastructure grants to support 13 local small business recovery projects in western North Carolina through the Department of Commerce's Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ). To date, SmBIZ has awarded nearly $30 million to support recovery efforts of small business districts in the region.