Community & Economic Development Manager's Notes: | |
This newsletter contains federal, state and foundation grants. Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments is committed to vetting funding for member governments throughout the region. If you have a project that does align with the opportunities listed here, please reach out to our office so that we may provide technical assistance in supporting project development.
Thank you for all you do for the Kerr-Tar region,
Desiree Brooks
| | Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program | |
This grant program assists medium and large size public water systems with protecting drinking water sources from natural hazards, extreme weather events, and cybersecurity threats.
Eligible applicants for this grant program include public water systems that serve a population of 10,000 people or more. Projects or programs that may be funded through this opportunity are those which aim to increase the resilience of a water system to natural hazards, extreme weather events, or reduce cybersecurity threats.
A midsize community is identified in Section 1459F(f)(2) of the SDWA as one that has a population of equal to or greater than 10,000 individuals and fewer than 100,000 individuals, and a large community is identified as one that has a population equal to or greater than 100,000 individuals. NOFO
Award: $1,187,500 - $2,375,000
Match: 10% of Project Cost
| | OJJDP FY25 Internet Crimes Against Children Data System Enhancements | |
This NOFO will support the maintenance and enhancement of the Internet Crimes Against Children Data System (IDS), which assists credentialed law enforcement investigators in quickly and securely accessing information involving the online exploitation of children. Specific enhancements will focus on work reduction, deconfliction and deduplication of casework, and improving CyberTip management. Training and technical assistance will be provided to the ICAC task forces and their federal law enforcement partners on using the system. Eligible Applicants include Special district governments,
Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education,) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, City or township governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), County governments, For profit organizations other than small businesses, State governments, Private institutions of higher education, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education,) and units of local governments.
Award: $900,000
Match: None
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The Open Grants Program allows applicants to apply for Golden LEAF funding throughout the year. Eligible applicants are governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Awards in the Open Grants Program are $500,000 or less.
The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to using the funds entrusted to it for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina’s economy, especially in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities. This program is for economic development projects aligned with the Golden LEAF priority areas. More details regarding Golden LEAF’s priority areas and priority outcomes:
· Job Creation and Economic Investment
· Workforce Preparedness
· Agriculture
· Community Competitiveness and Capacity
Competitive applications for projects include requests for funds to:
· Develop and implement a new workforce training program to meet demand from local employers
· Implement a career pathway at a high school for a high demand field
· Extend water, sewer, or road infrastructure to a site to enable industrial development that will create full-time jobs
· Support the development of new crops, expand markets for agriculture products, or provide training for farmers.
| | CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization Program | |
| |  | 2025 CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization: Notice of Funding Availability The Rural Economic Development Division (REDD), North Carolina Department of Commerce has opened the 2025 CDBG Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) program. The CDBG-NR program is designed to provide grants to non-entitlement local governments for housing, housing related activities, and public facilities. Approximately $4.75 million of the $12,280,856 available is set aside for the Rural Community Development Fund. This fund allows Tier 1 communities to submit non-housing projects as a sole activity. FEMA declared disaster areas due to Hurricane Helene have also been given specific wavers for this funding cycle. Attached are the 2025 CDBG-NR NOFA and 2025 CDBG-NR guidelines and application. Applications are due to REDD by 4:00 pm on October 29, 2025. Awards are anticipated to be announced on December 10, 2025. For questions and technical assistance, please contact John F. Brooks, CDBG Section Chief, at john.brooks@commerce.nc.gov or (919) 814-4663 or TDD 1- 800-735-2962.
| | CBGI - North Central Prosperity Zone | |
Counties from the North Central Prosperity Zone are invited to participate in our Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI). The counties in the North Central Prosperity Zone are Chatham, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake, Warren, and Wilson.
The process is competitive, but organizations from all counties within the North Central Prosperity Zone will have an opportunity to participate.
The CBGI is designed to identify projects with the potential to have a significant impact. It is a focused process with grants targeted toward investments in the building blocks of economic growth. Funds are limited to projects that address Golden LEAF priorities of job creation and economic investment, agriculture, and workforce preparedness.
Process
County managers serve a key role in the process. Each county manager will submit projects to Golden LEAF for feedback and later endorse a slate of up to four projects for consideration. Each county will determine how to identify which projects will be endorsed for this initiative. Only projects that have been endorsed and regional projects will be eligible to submit an application for consideration by the Golden LEAF Board of Directors.
| Land and Water Conservation Fund | |
The Land and Water Conservation Fund 2026 Application cycle is currently open.
Since 1965, the LWCF program has built a permanent park legacy for present and future generations. In North Carolina alone, the LWCF has provided more than $85 million in matching grants to protect land and support more than 900 state and local park projects. More than 40,000 acres have been acquired with LWCF assistance.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) provides up to dollar-for-dollar matching grants to local governments for the acquisition, development, or a combination of both. Local governments may also apply for funding to renovate existing LWCF parks. A local government can request a maximum of $500,000 with each application.
Eligible Applicants
North Carolina counties and incorporated municipalities are eligible for LWCF grants. Federally recognized Native American tribes are also eligible.
Eligible Projects
LWCF grants can be used for acquisition, development, renovation, and combination projects for outdoor public recreation. A project must be located on a single site.
Matching Requirement
An applicant must match the grant with a minimum of 50 percent. Due to a federal share cap of $500,000, a greater match is required for projects that exceed total costs of $1 million. Projects should not include local government overmatch.
| | Promotion of the Humanities Research | |
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Division of Research Programs is accepting applications for the Scholarly Editions and Translations program. This program supports collaborative teams who are editing, annotating, and translating foundational humanities texts that are vital to generating new scholarship but are inaccessible or only available in inadequate editions or translations. NOFO
Award: $1 - $450,000
- Planning: Up to $65,000
- Implementation: Up to $100,000 per year in outright funds, plus an additional $50,000 in matching funds, for a maximum of $150,000 per year and a maximum of $450,000 per award.
Match: None
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Region 4- Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM) | |
The EPA has selected Research Triangle Institute to serve as a pass-through entity for the Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (EJ TCGM) to address environmental justice and public health issues in underserved communities. They will provide subgrants to community-based nonprofits and other eligible subrecipients for assessment, planning, and project development activities. They will alleviate much of the burden that the federal grants process places on small, resource-constrained community-based organizations supporting underserved communities and marginalized populations.
Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ
Dates to Submit for Funding:
- October 31, 2025 (Last date for 2-year projects)
- January 31, 2026
- April 30, 2026
- July 31, 2026
- October 31, 2026 (Last date for 1-year projects)
- January 31, 2027
- April 30, 2027 (Last date for 6-month projects)
Match: No
Program Fact Sheet: One-pager
| | Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program | | |
The Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program provides funding for clean and reliable drinking water systems, sanitary sewage disposal, sanitary solid waste disposal, and storm water drainage to households and businesses in eligible rural areas.
Who may apply?
This program assists qualified applicants who are not otherwise able to obtain commercial credit on reasonable terms. Eligible applicants include:
What is an eligible area?
Areas that may be served include:
What kinds of funding are available?
- Long-term, low-interest loans
- If funds are available, a grant may be combined with a loan if necessary to keep user costs reasonable.
How may the funds be used?
Funds may be used to finance the acquisition, construction or improvement of:
- Drinking water sourcing, treatment, storage and distribution
- Sewer collection, transmission, treatment and disposal
- Solid waste collection, disposal and closure
- Storm water collection, transmission and disposal
In some cases, funding may also be available for related activities such as:
- Legal and engineering fees
- Land acquisition, water and land rights, permits and equipment
- Start-up operations and maintenance
- Interest incurred during construction
- Purchase of facilities to improve service or prevent loss of service
- Other costs determined to be necessary for completion of the project
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See 7 CFR Part 1780.7 and 1780.9 for a complete list
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Agriculture Innovation Center Program
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Through the AIC program, RBCS makes grants to Centers that provide Producer Services to Agricultural Producers seeking to develop and market Value-Added Agricultural Products.
Matching Funds Requirement:
Matching Funds are required for at least one-third of the total project budget. For example, if the total project budget is $1,500,000, matching funds must be at least $500,000. Matching funds may be provided in cash by the applicant or a third party or in-kind by a third party. They must be available for use during the period of performance, and they must be used for allowable expenses.
How may funds be used?
Grant and matching funds may be used to operate an agriculture innovation center, and to provide the following services to agricultural producers:
- Business development services, such as feasibility studies and business plans..
- Market development services, such as marketing plans, branding, and customer identification.
- Organizational assistance, such as legal and technical advisory services related to the development, expansion, or operation of a business.
- Financial advisory services related to the development, expansion, or operation of a business, such as assistance with obtaining credit for operating costs, training on using financial management software, and guidance on use of cash flow.
- Process development services, such as engineering services, scale production assessments, and systems development.
- Product development, such as idea generation, concept testing, feasibility and cost analysis, product taste-testing, demographic and other types of consumer analysis, production analysis, recipe development, evaluation of packaging and labeling options, and brand development for a value-added agricultural product.
- Value chain coordination, or directly working with an agricultural producer to connect that producer to a distribution system, processing facility, or commercial kitchen.
- Grants to agricultural producers for the above services, where the individual award does not exceed $5,000.
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Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in North Carolina
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This program provides funding for the development of essential community facilities in rural areas. Eligible projects must deliver critical services that support the orderly development of local communities and cannot be private, commercial, or business-related. Funding may be used to construct, expand, or improve facilities such as healthcare centers, public safety buildings, schools, and other essential infrastructure. Eligible applicants include public bodies, community-based nonprofit corporations, and federally recognized tribes. The program is available in rural areas, including cities, villages, townships, and tribal lands with populations of 20,000 or fewer, as determined by the latest U.S. Census data.
How may funds be used?
Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses.
Examples of essential community facilities include:
- Health care facilities such as hospitals, medical clinics, dental clinics, nursing homes or assisted living facilities
- Public facilities such as town halls, courthouses, airport hangars or street improvements
- Community support services such as child care centers, community centers, fairgrounds or transitional housing
- Public safety services such as fire departments, police stations, prisons, police vehicles, fire trucks, public works vehicles or equipment
- Educational services such as museums, libraries or private schools
- Utility services such as telemedicine or distance learning equipment
- Local food systems such as community gardens, food pantries, community kitchens, food banks, food hubs or greenhouses
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Golden LEAF will consider applications to assist eligible state, regional and local economic development entities with grants to support permissible activities in projects in which a company will commit to create a specific number of full time jobs in a tobacco-dependent or economically distressed area. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Golden LEAF staff to discuss the potential projects and conditions that may be applicable prior to submitting an application. Applications in this program must be for projects that will lead to job creation by a company that will commit to create the jobs if Golden LEAF provides a grant for the project. An application for funding must be submitted before the project announces its decision to locate and create jobs in North Carolina.
Details
Competitive applications will include information showing that the expected job creation is AT RISK without Golden LEAF support. An applicant can demonstrate that a project is AT RISK by identifying a funding gap that exists that would significantly impair the applicant’s ability to attract the anticipated jobs if Golden LEAF does not make a grant for the project.
Examples of other factors that may be considered to determine whether a project is AT RISK without Golden LEAF support include:
· Evidence of urgency for financial assistance necessary to facilitate job creation;
· Whether local governments have provided support for the project at levels that are appropriate in light of available resources. (Golden LEAF funds will not be available to satisfy shortfalls resulting from local policies limiting local support for a project.); and
· Whether the applicant has secured or attempted to secure funding for the project from other sources such as the State of North Carolina, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, EDA, ARC, and others.
Proposals for Economic Catalyst grants should be coordinated with the other economic development entities, including:
· North Carolina Department of Commerce
· The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
· Local and regional economic development organizations
Grants are available only for projects that include a specific company’s commitment to create full-time jobs in NC. Full-time jobs are defined as jobs that provide 1,600 hours or more per year of work. Companies must provide at least 50% of the cost of employee-only health insurance for full-time employees.
The Golden LEAF Foundation will consider at least the following factors when determining whether to fund a project and at what level:
· The economic distress of the community in which the jobs would be created
· The number of jobs to be created
· The quality of jobs to be created, measured by factors including wages paid and skill levels involved
| | Walmart Local Community Grants | |
Local Community grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000. Eligible nonprofit organizations must operate on the local level (or be an affiliate/chapter of a larger organization that operates locally) and directly benefit the service area of the facility from which they are requesting funding.
There are eight (8) areas of funding for which an organization can apply. Please review the areas listed below to ensure your organization’s goals fall within one of these areas.
· Community and Economic Development: Improving local communities for the benefit of low-income individuals and families in the local service area
· Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering the building of relationships and understanding among diverse groups in the local service area
· Education: Providing after-school enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
· Environmental Sustainability: Preventing waste, increasing recycling, or supporting other programs that work to improve the environment in the local service area
· Health and Human Service: Providing medical screening, treatment, social services, or shelters for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
· Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating: Providing Federal or charitable meals/snacks for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
· Public Safety: Supporting public safety programs through training programs or equipment in the local service area
· Quality of Life: Improving access to recreation, arts or cultural experiences for low-income individuals and families in the local service area.
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SECU Foundation Grant Program supports nonprofits and governmental organizations focused on local and community development in North Carolina. Grants are provided for high-impact projects in housing, education, healthcare, and human services. The
Foundation funds capital projects, programmatic expansions, and mission development for capacity building. Preference is given to projects with statewide or regional impact, that improve the social and economic conditions of public employees, and those not primarily funded by government agencies.
SECU Grant Programs
· Capital – Funds projects that are tangible, permanent, and visible; Typically supporting construction or major renovation of a building or a facility.
· Programmatic – Funds pilot programs or large-scale program expansions that provide regional or statewide services.
· Mission Development Grants – supporting smaller nonprofits with capacity building through organizational assessments, goal setting, and creating pathways for expansion.
Project Selection Considerations
· Preference given to a combination of projects that have a statewide impact, or major regional impact, and may serve as a model for replication in other North Carolina communities.
· Seek projects that are tangible (permanent, visible, capital versus operational). Do not support operational budgets, nor budget shortfalls.
· Seek to fund projects through partnerships with foundations and nonprofit organizations (do not fund for-profit organizations).
· Seek projects that improve the social and economic condition of public employees in North Carolina.
· Seek projects that are not principally nor typically funded by a governmental agency.
· In cases where projects have existing appropriations only consider funding where funding would augment or enhance projects which have existing appropriations.
· Generally seek to fund projects that strengthen the partnership with North Carolina State employees.
· Seek to identify programmatic projects to solve problems and to develop partnerships with other non-profits and foundations.
| | The Cannon Foundation Inc. | | |
**Staff recommends beginning the inquiry process at least 90 days before an application deadline** Read "How to Apply"
Areas of Focus:
· Human Services
· Higher Education
· Healthcare
· Community
Step 1: For new and returning organizations, please login to your account. You will first be prompted to update or add organization background. Next, you will then complete a brief Inquiry Form.
Step 2: Once the completed Inquiry Form is submitted, you will receive another email within 30 days to let you know the inquiry is being reviewed. Once the review is complete, your Program Officer will reach out to schedule a call to discuss the project. During the call, staff will discuss the project need, timeline, other identified funding sources and expected outcomes.
Step 3: If eligible, the application link will become available once you have spoken to a program officer.
Step 4: Submit application and all required documents. Application deadlines occur in March, June, September and December.
**Notification of grant decisions will be sent to the applicant and Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director or President within 6 months from application submission.
Helpful Hints for Grant Applicants
- Qualifying organizations must be well established with at least five years of successful operations before a grant can be considered.
- Projects with a request greater than $100,000 should wait to apply until your organization has identified at least 60% of the total funding needed and when the project can be completed within 12-18 months. This does not mean that the Foundation will fund the remaining 40%.
- Projects with other funding sources or community collaboration are preferred.
- If a project will expand service capacity, then the organization should have a clear business plan for funding ongoing operations. The Foundation does not fund operational expenses such as salaries or overhead costs.
- The Foundation does not want to create dependency. Organizations should wait at least two years between grant requests.
- The Cannon Foundation is not interested in naming opportunities.
- The Foundation does not provide start-up funding, scholarships, grants to individuals or operating funds including salaries or overhead costs.
Learn
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The Civic Foundation supports North Carolina charities and nonprofits focused on bridging human services gaps.
The Civic Foundation awards grants to small, local nonprofits committed to North Carolinians. They do this with the goal of making a deeper impact on community-based charities that meet specific needs of our neighbors.
- Up to $25,000 may be awarded each quarter.
- Focus is on areas of healthcare, housing, human services and hunger.
- Applicants must meet eligibility criteria.
- Applications must be submitted at least one month before funds are required.
Grants will only be made to the following types of organizations in NC and can only be used for programmatic expenses:
- Public charity, private foundation, nonprofit, or government entity that qualifies as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization
- A school, hospital, or local governmental organization that holds nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3) organization (examples include hospitals with foundations, schools with charitable programs, and local government professional development associations)
- 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations that have been in existence 10 years or less and have an annual operating budget of less than $1 million
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Municipal Finance: Comprehensive Fiscal Training for Local Governments
Jacksonville | October 23
Elizabeth City | October 28
Strengthen your town’s financial foundations with this comprehensive, one-day training from the League. Designed for elected officials, managers, finance directors and all local government leaders, this course covers everything you need to know about municipal finance—from statutory requirements to best practices for fiscal health.
Join us on Oct. 23 in Jacksonville or Oct. 28 in Elizabeth City for this in-depth session. Thanks to support from Camber Foundation, registration has been reduced to just $40, with lunch included.
CPA attendees may earn up to 6 CPE credits, and League members will earn 6 AML credits and the NCLM’s Financial Management Certificate (Level I). The 6 hours also count toward the 12 required for the Certificate of Municipal Achievement.
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Cyber Security 101: Understanding the Threat and Protecting Your Town
Virtual | October 22, 2025
Cyber Security 101 is a one-hour online training designed specifically for local government officials and staff. Whether you're an elected official, manager, IT professional, department head, or someone who simply wants to understand the basics, this session will provide you with a clear and practical foundation in municipal cyber defense.
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