100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 18 grant requests to local governments totaling $4,847,243, Governor Roy Cooper announced this week. The requests include commitments to create a total of 590 jobs, 296 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $103 million in private investment.
“North Carolina’s rural communities need support to upgrade their infrastructure to attract good jobs and build a stronger future. Investments like Rural Infrastructure grants signal to businesses and communities that our state is ready for economic development despite the challenges of the pandemic,” Governor Cooper said.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s team of rural economic development professionals supports the RIA’s work. 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 can support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, expansion and demolition, and site improvements.
The RIA approved grant requests locally for:
Vacant Building Category
- Vance County: A $500,000 grant will support the reuse of a 197,000-square-foot building in Henderson. Select Products Holdings, LLC, a manufacturer of tissue products that supply a wide range of leading consumer retailers, plans to locate operations at the facility. The company expects to create 73 jobs and invest $4 million in the overall project, while 53 jobs and a $577,901 investment are tied to this grant.
Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account Program
- Vance County: A $190,260 grant will assist the County in the completion of sewer and road infrastructure at the County’s premier industrial park. These infrastructure improvements will help make the 84-acre site a viable economic development target.
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.
For additional information about N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, visit www.nccommerce.com/rd.
Click here to read the press release in its entirety.
