Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program

The Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program is administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce through its Division of Community Revitalization. This program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery allocation and is specifically designed to support recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. The initiative focuses on revitalizing commercial and community infrastructure within counties identified as most impacted and distressed, ensuring that essential services and economic activity can return to sustainable levels. By aligning with federal disaster recovery priorities, the program integrates long term resilience and economic restoration into local rebuilding strategies. The primary purpose of the program is to address unmet disaster recovery needs by funding infrastructure projects that restore critical services, strengthen community resilience, and promote economic revitalization. Eligible projects must demonstrate a clear tie back to the impacts of Hurricane Helene, meaning applicants must provide verifiable evidence such as damage assessments, insurance claims, or federal data showing how the disaster directly or indirectly affected the proposed project. In addition to recovery, projects must incorporate mitigation strategies that reduce the impact of future disasters, ensuring that investments are both restorative and preventative in nature. Funding is available for a wide range of infrastructure related activities, including restoration of water and sewer systems, repair of streets and bridges, construction or rehabilitation of public facilities such as fire stations or shelters, and flood control improvements. Soft costs such as engineering and architectural services are also allowable when directly tied to project execution. However, the program excludes certain uses, including general government expenses, political activities, routine maintenance, and costs incurred before environmental clearance unless explicitly approved. All funded projects are subject to federal compliance requirements, including environmental review, labor standards, accessibility regulations, and financial management rules. Eligibility is limited to units of local government within designated impacted areas, including counties, municipalities, water and sewer authorities, transit agencies, and similar public entities. Projects must be located within specified counties identified in the state action plan, with certain exclusions such as projects within the City of Asheville due to separate funding allocations. Applicants must also meet one of several federal national objectives, such as benefiting low and moderate income populations or addressing urgent community needs. In addition, applicants must demonstrate organizational capacity, financial feasibility, and readiness to implement the project in compliance with federal and state requirements. The application process requires submission through the Renew NC Grant Portal and includes several mandatory components. Applicants must conduct a public hearing prior to submission, provide evidence of community engagement, and include a complete application with all required documentation and attachments. A comment period must also be completed before submission. Applications are evaluated competitively based on criteria such as applicant capacity, community need, soundness of approach, leverage of additional funding, and anticipated outcomes. Additional priority points may be awarded for projects aligned with specific infrastructure categories such as water systems, parks, or transportation. The application window is open for a defined period, with submissions due by September 8, 2026. While prescreening is optional, applicants are encouraged to participate to assess readiness and receive technical guidance. Following submission, selected projects undergo a preliminary award phase contingent on environmental review and compliance verification, followed by a full award upon execution of a grant agreement. Throughout the process, applicants must coordinate with program administrators and adhere to all reporting and monitoring requirements. Support for applicants is provided through technical assistance sessions and direct communication channels, including email and phone contact with the Division of Community Revitalization. The program emphasizes transparency, compliance, and long term community benefit, requiring ongoing collaboration between applicants and the administering agency. By combining federal funding with local implementation, the program aims to rebuild resilient infrastructure systems and restore economic vitality in communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

Provide strong documentation of disaster tie back and unmet need include detailed cost estimates and demonstrate readiness with clear timelines and compliance systems