Governor Stein Announces $504 Million of Investment and 78 New Jobs for Rural North Carolina

Today Governor Josh Stein announced that North Carolina's Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved nine grant requests for local governments totaling $2,236,000. The grants include commitments to create a total of 219 jobs, 141 of which were previously announced. As a result of these grants, the additional private investment in these projects is expected to exceed $504 million.

"These infrastructure grants strengthen the foundation for growth in rural North Carolina," said Governor Josh Stein. "This funding helps towns and counties compete for new economic development opportunities and create lasting prosperity for North Carolinians across our state."

The RIA is supported by the rural economic development team at the North Carolina Department of Commerce. RIA members review and approve funding requests from local communities. Funding comes from a variety of specialized grant and loan programs offered and managed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division, which is led by Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Reginald Speight. Grants support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, building expansion, building demolition, and site improvements.

"Investing in rural communities is essential to North Carolina's continued economic growth and success," said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. "By strengthening the public infrastructure that supports local economies, we can enhance our state's competitiveness, attract new businesses, create jobs, and expand economic opportunities for communities across North Carolina."

The RIA approved six grant requests under the state's Building Reuse Program. The grants fall into two categories:

Vacant Building Category

• Cleveland County: A $129,000 grant will support the reuse of a 26,447-square-foot building in Shelby for Safety Test & Equipment Company, which manufactures safety equipment for utility workers and repair trucks. The project is expected to create 17 jobs with an investment of $137,050.
• City of Fayetteville (Cumberland County): A $152,000 grant will support the reuse of a 17,170-square-foot building in Fayetteville for Sigma Crossings & Railroad Products, Inc. The company manufactures railroad products for short line railroads, transit systems, and industrial customers. The project is expected to create 20 jobs and attract an investment of $3,581,000.

Existing Business Building Category

• Beaufort County: A $50,000 grant will support the renovation of a 175,000-square-foot building in Washington for MJM Yachts, which designs and builds high-performance power yachts. The company will create 13 jobs with an investment of $140,076.
• Pitt County: An $80,000 grant will support a 56,260-square-foot expansion of a building in Greenville for Edgecombe Furniture. The family-owned company manufactures furniture for the hospitality sector. The project is expected to create 10 jobs and invest $3,847,222.
• Vance County: A $144,000 grant will support a 100,000-square-foot expansion of an existing building in Henderson that is occupied by Select Products Holdings, LLC. The privately held company converts paper into paper towels, bathroom tissue, and facial tissue for retailers. The project is expected to create 18 jobs with an investment of $23,856,000.
• City of Wilson (Wilson County): A $500,000 grant will support the renovation of a 310,000-square-foot building in Wilson. Reckitt Benckiser manufactures health, hygiene, and nutrition products, including Mucinex. Overall, the project is expected to create 289 jobs, while 112 jobs and an investment of $432,600,000 are tied to this grant.

The Building Reuse Program provides grants to local governments to renovate vacant buildings, renovate and/or expand buildings occupied by existing North Carolina companies and renovate, expand, or construct health care facilities that will lead to the creation of new jobs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as in rural census tracts of Tier 3 counties.

The RIA approved two grant requests under the state's Rural Downtown Economic Development program. The grants fall into two categories:

Public Buildings Category

• Town of Clinton (Sampson County): An $81,000 grant will support the restoration of the Clinton Theatre with a new roof. The grant will help prevent deterioration of the structure and protect the recently renovated interior. This project is expected to leverage an additional investment of $10,019.

Public Infrastructure Category

• Town of Elkin (Surry County): A $100,000 grant will help the town improve pedestrian connectivity and ADA accessibility for the Elkin Public Library. The project will add 260 feet of sidewalks on Front Street, repair existing sidewalks, and restore a historic stone retaining wall. The grant is expected to leverage an additional investment of $8,053.

The Rural Downtown Economic Development Grants program provides grants to local governments to support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives. These grants are intended to help local governments grow and leverage downtown districts as assets for economic growth, economic development, and prosperity by providing public improvements to help retain businesses and leverage main street assets for community-wide use.

The RIA approved one grant request under the state's Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account program:

• Scotland County: A $1,000,000 grant will support sewer and water improvements at the Southeast Regional Airport Authority Industrial Park for Great Southern Wood Preserving's lumber treatment manufacturing facility. The overall project is expected to invest $40 million with 29 jobs tied to the grant.

The Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account provides grants to local governments located in the 80 most economically distressed counties of the state, which are classified as either Tier 1 or Tier 2. Funds support publicly owned utility infrastructure projects that promote economic growth by encouraging new job creation. The IDF - Utility Account is funded through a process tied to the state's signature Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program. When JDIG-awarded companies choose to locate or expand in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 county, a portion of that JDIG award is channeled into the Utility Account. These infrastructure projects typically include improvements or expansions to water, sewer, electric, gas, and broadband systems that directly support business development and industrial expansion.

In addition to reviewing and approving funding requests, the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority formulates policies and priorities for grant and loan programs administered by the Commerce Department's Rural Economic Development team. Its 17 voting members are appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President Pro Tem. The North Carolina Secretary of Commerce serves as an ex officio member of the authority.

Visit the Rural Economic Development Division webpage for more information.