RALEIGH – The N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 18 grants totaling $11,046,399.The RIA was established as part of the Rural Economic Development Division at the N.C. Department Commerce to assist with the review and approval of grants for rural areas in the state.   The grants-making programs of the new Division include assistance for building reuse and restoration, water and sewer infrastructure, and economic innovation in rural communities.

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) that were approved today include:

Town of Farmville (Pitt County): $750,000 to loan to National Blend Vegetables Dehydration, LLC to support the reuse of a 500,000 SF building. 

Pender County: $750,000 to assist with the construction of a wastewater treatment plant that will serve a new 100,000SF manufacturing plant being constructed by RC Creations, LLC.

Sampson County: $780,000 to construct a rail spur to allow Chemtex International, Inc. to open a new facility at an industrial site located on NC Highway 24E.

Town of Mocksville (Davie County): $789,000 to construct 800 LF of sewer line and 5,200 LF of water line to allow Gildan Yarns, LLC to construct a new manufacturing plant near I-40.

Rowan County: $1,000,000 to construct a 2,900 LF access road to allow Gildan Yarns, LLC to construct a new 601,973 SF manufacturing plant at 2120 Helig Road.

Town of Mayodan (Rockingham County): $750,000 to loan to Sturm, Ruger & Company to support the reuse of a vacant 191,700 SF building located at 271 Cardwell Road.

Town of Wilkesboro (Wilkes County): $750,000 to loan to PSG Custom Fabricators to support the reuse of a vacant 231,000 square feet building located at 1804 River Street.
 
Nash County: $750,000 to loan to Midatlantic Warehouse, LLC and Nutkao USA to support the renovation of a 96,000 SF building located near Battleboro.

Franklin County: $300,000 to loan to DCN Cables to support the renovation of a 33,900 SF building located at 481 Airport Road near Louisburg.

Town of Southern Pines (Moore County): $270,000 to construct a 1,000 LF public industrial access road to allow Tyr Tactical Company to begin manufacturing at a building in Southern Pines Corporate Park.

City of Trinity: $168,000 to construct 2,060 linear feet of eight inch gravity sewer lines to expand capacity at a building on Turnpike Court. 

The CDBG is a US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program that provides an annual allocation of funds to the State for rural economic development and residential infrastructure projects. DENR administers the rural residential infrastructure program and the N.C. Department of Commerce administers the economic development program. CDBG economic development provides grants to local governments for creating and retaining jobs. Funding for projects is based on the number of jobs to be created and the level of distress in the community applying for the funds.

Grants from the Utility Account of the Industrial Development Fund were awarded today for the following projects:

Town of Nashville (Nash County): $379,087 for sewer and street improvements to an industrial park that will be a critical piece of the town’s job creation strategy. 

Town of Troy (Montgomery County): $470,000 to construct a new 450 GPM gallon pump station to replace the existing, but failing station. 

Rutherford County: $200,000 to install a water line that will generate enough pressure to support fire suppression for an existing company and create opportunities for future industrial growth.  

Town of Wilkesboro (Wilkes County): $1,110,000 to assist in the replacement of water lines, a booster pump station and an elevated storage tank for storage and fire protection. 

Rowan County: $1,133,000 to provide 2,900 LF of road construction and 4,500 LF of water main to serve a new facility for Gildan Yarns.

Wilkes County: $178,225 to assist in the replacement of water lines, a booster pump station and an elevated storage tank for storage and fire protection. 

Franklin County: $500,000 to assist in sewer improvements in Triangle North Franklin Industrial Park. 

The Utility Account of the Industrial Development Fund provides grants to units of local government of the 80 most distressed counties in the state to assist in job creation.  The funds may be used for publicly-owned infrastructure and should be used for projects that are reasonably expected to result in the creation of jobs. 

The RIA will meet bimonthly to review and approve grants specifically targeted to assist with economic development and job creation in the rural areas of North Carolina.