Governor Cooper Announces 31 Grants to Rural Communities to Attract 430 New Jobs and over $211 Million of Investment

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 31 grant requests to local governments totaling $10,982,835, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The requests include commitments to create a total of 565 jobs, 135 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $211 million in public and private investment.

“The state’s Rural Infrastructure Authority sees North Carolina through a lens of opportunity,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “All of our great state deserves the opportunity to thrive. These grants offer rural areas the resources and support they need to capitalize on their full potential.”

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 N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, led by Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Kenny Flowers. Grants support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, expansion and demolition, and site improvements.

“These grants are vital to the overall prosperity of North Carolina and its people,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “We are particularly excited to recognize the first recipients of our new Rural Downtown Economic Development Grant program, which serves as yet another tool to support businesses and build stronger communities.”

The RIA approved nine grant requests under the state’s Building Reuse Program in two categories:

Vacant Building Category

• Forsyth County: A $250,000 grant will support the reuse of a 46,425-square-foot building in Winston-Salem. The building will be occupied by Radél Inc., a producer of electrical, electronic, and electro-mechanical components with a focus on serving the vehicle industry. The overall project will create 32 jobs, with an investment of $350,000 tied to this grant.
• City of Hickory (Catawba County): A $240,000 grant will support the reuse of a 35,000-square-foot building in Hickory. The building will be occupied by Steel Warehouse Co., LLC, a 75-year-old, privately held steel service center. Steel Warehouse Co. plans to create 58 jobs overall, with 30 jobs and an investment of $1,207,000 tied to this project.
• Rockingham County: A $500,000 grant will support the reuse of a 451,624-square-foot building in Reidsville. The building will be occupied by Drylock Technologies, Ltd, a manufacturer of hygiene products for baby, feminine and adult care. Altogether, Drylock will create 113 jobs in the project, with 50 jobs and an investment of $2,357,463 tied to this grant.
• City of Rocky Mount (Nash County): A $450,000 grant will support the reuse of a 653,400-square-foot building in Rocky Mount. Goshen House & Trading, LLC, a processor and distributor of frozen, dairy, and dry African, Caribbean, and Latino foods, will establish a new facility at this location. The project is expected to create 45 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $4,340,166.
• Pasquotank County: A $200,000 grant will support the reuse of a 44,000-square-foot building in Elizabeth City. LMFakro, LLC, a manufacturer of roof windows and attic ladders, will establish a manufacturing facility here. The project is expected to create 23 jobs overall, with an investment of $5,150,000 tied to this grant.

Existing Business Building Category

• City of Fayetteville (Cumberland County): A $120,000 grant will support the renovation of a 19,080-square-foot building in Fayetteville. Phillip's Towing Service Inc. will expand operations by establishing a corporate office here, including a call center to serve Eastern North Carolina. The company expects to create 10 jobs and invest $4,185,931 in this project.
• Gaston County: A $500,000 grant will support the 41,000-square-foot expansion of IFAB Corporation’s facility in Gastonia. IFAB Corporation is a metal fabricator and a Tier 1 supplier of truck and agricultural parts for customers like Daimler, Mack, Blue Bird, and Volvo. The company expects to create 190 jobs and invest $18,497,649 in this project.
• Gaston County: A $250,000 grant will support the 85,004-square-foot expansion of an existing building in Dallas. The building is currently occupied by Repi, LLC, a manufacturer and distributor of colors and additives in the packaging of products, including cosmetics and toiletries. The company expects to create 25 jobs and invest $5,584,405 in this project.
• Pitt County: A $100,000 grant will support the 12,000-square-foot expansion of Atlantic Emergency Solutions’ facility in Falkland. Atlantic Emergency Solutions is a provider of metal fabrication, paint, graphics, maintenance and warranty work on fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. The company plans to create 10 jobs and invest $1,450,000 in this project.

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 rural census tracts of Tier 3 counties.

The RIA approved four grant requests under the state’s Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account program:

• Town of Wadesboro (Anson County): A $223,075 grant will enable the Town of Wadesboro to complete their improvements to the Wadesboro Industrial Park.
• Columbus County: A $1,577,575 grant will enable the county to expand the roadway leading into the International Logistics Park. This NC Certified site is the first At-Port Distribution Park in North Carolina and will create an investment of $74 million.
• City of Greensboro (Guilford County): A $372,000 grant will allow the city to install a water main and sanitary line to serve aerospace development at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. Marshall USA LLC, a subsidiary of the United Kingdom’s largest privately owned aerospace and defense business, is seeking to establish a U.S. facility that supports existing and future US armed forces contracts. With this project, the company is expected to create 140 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $50,314,000.
• Halifax County: A $125,185 grant will enable the county to repair an aged water line that is in the route of the proposed rail spur to be constructed by Stella-Jones Corporation, a leading producer of pressure treated wood products and utility poles. The project is expected to create 10 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $9.5 million.

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 may be used for publicly owned infrastructure projects that are reasonably expected to result in 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.

The RIA approved 18 grant requests under the state’s new Rural Downtown Economic Development program in three categories:

Public Infrastructure Category

• City of Morganton (Burke County): An $850,000 grant will assist the City of Morganton in making renovations to the North Green Street Streetscape. The renovations will upgrade existing utilities, including water, sanitary sewer, electric, fiber, cable and telephone. The grant will also aid in the placement of utilities underground. The project is expected to leverage an investment of $2,357,463.
• City of Lenoir (Caldwell County): A $325,000 grant will support a 6-acre campus in Lenoir, including the renovation of the LHS Gymnasium and Auditorium for improved accessibility, and the construction of a 4,300-square-foot covered outdoor pavilion as a part of the expansion of the Overmountain Victory Trail. The project is set to leverage $3,497,078 in investments.
• City of Newton (Catawba County): A $475,000 grant will assist the City of Newton in its Downtown Revitalization Streetscape Project. The project will entail pedestrian improvements, lighting, underground utilities, water and sewer line upgrades, bike lanes and on-street parking. The project is expected to leverage $8,419,049 in investments.
• Town of Murphy (Cherokee County): A $250,000 grant will support Murphy’s Town Square Revitalization Project, including a brick paver design on all four corners of the town square, pedestrian improvements, and the installation of lighting, a small stage and water lines. The project is anticipated to leverage $1,031,864 in investments.
• Town of Old Fort (McDowell County): An $850,000 grant will support Phase 1 of the Town of Old Fort's Downtown Streetscape project. Phase 1, North Catawba Avenue, is a two-block improvement plan aimed to improve ADA accessibility and connectivity from downtown to the Fonta Flora State Trail and the Pisgah National Forest located nearby. The project will leverage $914,935 in investments.
• Town of Carthage (Moore County): A $512,500 grant will support the Town of Carthage's Streetscape Infrastructure Downtown Project, including the first three of a 10-phase pedestrian improvement and parking plan. The project is set to leverage $27,071 in investments.
• Elizabeth City (Pasquotank County): A $300,000 grant will support Elizabeth City’s Water Street Transformation Project, which includes streetscape and pedestrian improvements, lighting, ADA accessibility and crosswalks to align with the Fast Ferry Project along Water Street from Main to Ehringhaus streets. The project is expected leverage $957,758 in investments.
• City of Mount Airy (Surry County): A $487,500 grant will support Mount Airy’s Mill District Streetscape Initiative, which includes streetscape improvements on Franklin Street, connecting the Spencer's Mill Redevelopment to the Arts & Entertainment District on Market Street and to Historic Main Street. The project includes improvements to sidewalks, curbs, and gutters, the installation of buried utilities, and modifications for ADA accessibility and amenities. This initiative is expected to leverage $1,659,500 in investments.

Public Buildings Category

• City of Burlington (Alamance County): A $462,500 grant will assist the City of Burlington in renovating and expanding the Paramount Theater. The project will include the creation of an upstage crossover, stage right wing, and an additional dressing room as well as upfits to the electrical, fire alarm and utility systems. Additionally, the project will include the 12,390-square-foot expansion to a building adjacent to the historic theater, ultimately leveraging $1,074,873 in investments.
• Town of Hildebran (Burke County): A $62,500 grant will support the Town of Hildebran’s Auditorium Renovations Project. The project will improve ADA accessibility and enhance the usability of the existing auditorium by creating a concessions/ticketing area, expanding the backstage area to include changing rooms, restrooms, storage space, and a green room. The project is expected to leverage $901,555 in investments.
• Town of Valdese (Burke County): A $487,500 grant will assist Valdese in renovating the Old Rock School, improving ADA accessibility, safety and functionality, and increasing the building’s energy efficiency. The project is expected leverage $1,284,014 in investments.
• City of Lumberton (Robeson County): A $200,000 grant will support Lumberton’s project, titled “The Carolina Civic Center Historic Theatre - Lumberton's Catalyst for Downtown Revitalization.” The project will rehabilitate the historic building, renovating the lobby and bathrooms, and expanding the event space by 8,295 square feet, ultimately leveraging $2,923,300 in investments.
• Town of Spencer (Rowan County): A $275,000 grant will assist Spencer’s Town Park Multi-Use Pavilion and Amenities Project, which aims to create a town park and rehabilitate three buildings in order to house new small businesses. The project is set to leverage $2,334,000 in investments.
• City of Laurinburg (Scotland County): A $450,000 grant will support Laurinburg’s Restoration of 127 Main Street Project, which includes the rehabilitation of a 12,038-square-foot building, with plans to house a restaurant on the first floor and event space on the second floor. The project includes exterior and interior renovations including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, walls, floors and new restroom facilities, ultimately leveraging $1,892,068 in investments.
• Stokes County: A $125,000 grant will support the Arts Block of Stokes in Downtown Danbury Project. The rehabilitation project will improve a 7,888-square-foot building for three hospitality businesses - a brewery, a bakery, and a farm-to-table restaurant. The project will leverage $1,501,374 in investments.

Mixed Use Downtown Development

• Alexander County: A $412,500 grant will assist Alexander County in supporting the Housing Our Teachers Project, which plans to renovate a two-story, 4,561-square-foot building in Taylorsville. The first floor will be renovated as a commercial space, and the second floor will be renovated to create two, one-bedroom apartments that will be leased to new Alexander school teachers at an affordable rate. The project is expected to leverage $871,175 in investments.
• Town of Maysville (Jones County): A $87,500 grant will support the Town of Maysville's Downtown Revitalization Project, including the renovation and rehabilitation of four buildings for mixed-use development on Main Street. The project is expected to leverage $1,307,500 in investments.
• Town of Roseboro (Sampson County): A $212,500 grant will support the Growing Downtown Roseboro Roots Building Rehabilitation Project. The project will rehabilitate a building, providing a new commercial space for a small business on the first floor and two, one-bedroom residential units for workforce housing on the second floor. This project is expected to leverage $940,446 in investments.

The Rural Downtown Economic Development Grants program provides grants to local governments to support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives that 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.

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 N.C. Commerce’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 a member of the authority, ex officio.

Visit the Rural Economic Development Division webpage for more information.