North Carolina Business and Commerce Grants

This program provides financial support to small businesses in North Carolina to help them expand into international markets and increase their export activities.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments in North Carolina for restoring critical public infrastructure to support small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene.

This program provides funding to local governments and nonprofit organizations for revitalizing commercial districts in North Carolina that were significantly impacted by Hurricane Helene, focusing on restoring business functionality and supporting local economies.

This program provides funding to companies and local governments in North Carolina for the construction or improvement of rail infrastructure to support economic development and enhance freight transportation capabilities.

This funding initiative provides financial support to state and local governments in the Appalachian Region for projects that enhance critical infrastructure and promote business and workforce development to stimulate economic growth and resilience.

This grant provides financial assistance to small businesses in Asheville that suffered losses from Tropical Storm Helene, helping them recover and sustain operations through reimbursement for eligible expenses.

This grant provides funding to individuals and organizations in North Carolina to create and support diverse entrepreneurial programs and events that foster community engagement and collaboration.

This funding opportunity supports local organizations in enhancing digital literacy and broadband access to drive economic growth and improve community quality of life.

This program provides financial incentives to film, television, and commercial productions that spend a minimum amount within North Carolina, aiming to boost the state's economy and create jobs.

This program provides a pitch competition and investor introductions for women and founders of color in the U.S. with scalable startups that have a minimum viable product and some customer traction, specifically targeting those outside major startup hubs.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to state, regional, and local economic development organizations to create full-time jobs in economically distressed areas of North Carolina.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments in North Carolina for demolishing vacant, blighted buildings to promote economic development and job creation in underserved rural areas.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments in rural North Carolina for renovating and improving buildings to create new full-time jobs in their communities.

This program provides financial assistance to local governments in economically distressed areas of North Carolina for infrastructure improvements that will create new private-sector jobs.

Beyond Open is a competitive small business grant program focused on enhancing economic mobility within Charlotte's Corridors of Opportunity. It aims to support diverse-owned small businesses, including those owned by minorities, women, veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities. The grant can be used for capital assets such as equipment, technology, inventory, and real estate, and does not require repayment. Administered by FFTC Partners For Empowering Communities, a supporting organization of the Foundation For The Carolinas, and funded by the Wells Fargo Open for Business Fund, Beyond Open has awarded over $10 million in grants to nearly 300 small businesses during its first two rounds. The third round will distribute approximately $5 million in grants. The program aims to retain jobs, encourage job growth, and inspire new entrepreneurial endeavors in areas with low economic mobility and among historically underrepresented groups. It also seeks to create opportunities for small businesses to provide goods or services in affluent areas where minority business owners have been under-represented.

The Orange County Business Investment Grant Program in North Carolina is seeking applications to provide financial support ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to stimulate non-farm business development and expansion within the county, with eligibility criteria including the business's physical location, operational duration, tax status, and connection with business counseling services.

This program provides financial support to non-farm businesses in Orange County, particularly those owned by women and BIPOC, to help them grow, hire staff, and make a positive economic impact.

The Pat Sanford Animal Welfare Grant, offered by Orange County Animal Services in North Carolina, provides up to $500 for individuals, groups, or organizations to fund animal welfare initiatives in Orange County, honoring the legacy of former Animal Protection Society Executive Director, Pat Sanford.

This program provides financial support to established small businesses in downtown North Wilkesboro and Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to enhance their operations through equipment upgrades, physical space improvements, and e-commerce development.

The Colorado Media Project and Local Media Association have partnered to bring the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding to Colorado newsrooms. This program is designed to provide in-depth training and coaching to help local news organizations develop journalism projects that address community priorities and can be funded through philanthropy. The initiative aligns with a broader goal of strengthening local journalism and supporting news organizations in their fundraising efforts, building on the success of the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding which has helped over 100 U.S. news organizations raise more than $22 million since 2020. This collaborative effort, supported by the Google News Initiative, underscores a strategic priority to foster sustainable local news ecosystems through philanthropic support. The target beneficiaries of this grant program are community-based, locally controlled Colorado news organizations that produce original, local news at least weekly. Priority is given to newsrooms with philanthropic giving programs less than five years old, or those with new staff who could benefit from this training. Local news partnerships or coalitions are also encouraged to apply, especially if they have a joint initiative seeking philanthropic funding. The impact goal is to equip these newsrooms with the skills and resources to secure philanthropic funding for local journalism projects that are responsive to community needs, thereby enhancing the quality and sustainability of local news in Colorado. The program's priorities and focuses include setting fundraising goals aligned with market size, developing prospect lists, creating pitch decks and campaign materials, and facilitating meetings with funders. Participants will also engage in the end-of-year #newsCOneeds fundraising campaign. Preference will be given to organizations with strong local leadership and community ties, a focus on high-quality local journalism, leadership-level buy-in, an organizational commitment of staff time and resources, and a value for staff and leadership diversity. These criteria highlight a strategic focus on building capacity within newsrooms that are deeply embedded in their communities and committed to journalistic excellence. Expected outcomes include newsrooms setting and working towards specific fundraising goals, developing robust fundraising strategies and materials, and actively engaging with funders. Measurable results will likely include the amount of philanthropic funding raised by participating newsrooms, the number of new donor relationships established, and the successful execution of fundraising campaigns. The program also aims to contribute best practices and lessons learned through case studies and an industry playbook, fostering a collective learning environment and promoting a theory of change where targeted training and support lead to increased philanthropic investment in local journalism, ultimately strengthening civic engagement and informed communities.