Renew NC Launches Community Infrastructure Program for Western North Carolina

Today the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) announced a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The first round of the community infrastructure grants will make $55 million of the total $193 million federal funding allocation available to help local governments in western North Carolina strengthen infrastructure and improve resilience against natural hazards. 

“Western North Carolina communities are working hard to rebuild, and this federal funding will help ensure their infrastructure is safer and stronger,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Together, we’re protecting homes, supporting local economies, and making sure our communities are better able to withstand future storms.”

Local governments can apply through the Renew NC Community Infrastructure (CI) Program, the fourth disaster initiative from the DCR. This competitive program requires infrastructure projects to include mitigation components and align with local plans. Priority will be given to shovel-ready projects, those using adaptable technologies, projects with additional funding sources, those that support long-term recovery, and those serving low- to moderate-income communities. 

Renew NC is North Carolina’s long-term disaster recovery initiative, funded through a Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

The Community Infrastructure Program will fund projects in HUD- and State-identified Most Impacted and Distressed (MID) areas, including Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg (ZIP code 28214 only), Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties. 

“Today represents a critical step in helping local governments not just recover but build safer and more resilient infrastructure,” said NC Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “The Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program will support projects that are ready to move forward and deliver lasting benefits for our communities in western North Carolina that need it most.”

Award amounts will generally range from $500,000 to $15 million per project. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: 

• Acquisition, demolition, site preparation, or renovation of properties;   
• Flood control and stormwater management systems;   
• Restoration of public spaces, including parks and community centers;   
• Physical upgrades and rehabilitation assistance for public utility services.  

This first round of funding will award priority points to water and sewer (categories D and F), parks and recreation facilities (category G), and roads and bridges projects. Mitigation-only projects will not be awarded during this round.  

All projects must be tied to Hurricane Helene recovery and meet HUD and federal program requirements. The application period opens July 6, 2026, and closes at 5 p.m. September 8, 2026. To view the full NOFO, including eligibility criteria, scoring methodology, and application materials, visit the commerce.nc.gov website. 

Local governments are strongly encouraged to complete online prescreening before submitting an application. While not required for application submission, prescreening helps potential applicants assess project and organizational readiness prior to entering the competitive application process.

“We want to set our applicants up for success, and prescreening is an important step in that process – and it’s free,” said DCR Deputy Secretary Stephanie McGarrah. “Communities that complete prescreening can receive technical assistance from program staff to help refine their projects.” 

The prescreening tool is available through the Renew NC Grant Portal. After submission, DCR staff will follow up to discuss next steps. A step-by-step guide to the prescreening process is available to read and watch online.   

For more information about the Renew NC Community Infrastructure Program, including access to a program toolkit, visit the program webpage or email dcr.grants@commerce.nc.gov. Videos providing a program overview and information about CDBG and CDBG-DR funding can be viewed at the DCR’s YouTube channel. 

Additional information about Renew NC programs is available at the commercerecovery.nc.gov website.