A new state program will offer local governments in western North Carolina grants of up to $1 million to rebuild public infrastructure. The program has a total of $55 million in funding available through the N.C. Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division. It is meant to help the region recover from Hurricane Helene, according to a release from the governor’s office.

“Western North Carolina’s economy is dependent on its vibrant downtowns and small businesses, and helping them recover is critically important,” said Gov. Josh Stein in a release. “This new grant program will reinvigorate the infrastructure that small businesses depend on, and I appreciate the General Assembly appropriating these funds.” 

The Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ) will utilize state funds appropriated by the North Carolina General Assembly in the recently passed Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part 1, which Stein signed in March. The program will offer grants to local governments, and the related infrastructure projects will target and support small businesses that employ 150 or fewer employees. Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Local governments must use the grants to address infrastructure needs that the Department of Commerce, in consultation with local governments and related small businesses, determines are the result of Hurricane Helene’s impact and have adversely affected access to, or operations of, the identified small businesses.

Infrastructure may include water, sewer, gas, telecommunications, high-speed broadband, electrical utility, sidewalk and curb infrastructure, and other repairs that remove barriers and restore or increase access to impacted small businesses. The small business cannot own the infrastructure or be in a position to maintain it.