Governor Stein Announces 15 Grants to Rural Communities to Attract 316 New Jobs and More Than $104 Million of Investment

Governor Josh Stein today announced that the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 15 grant requests for local governments totaling $5,042,113. The grants include commitments to creating a total of 702 jobs, 386 of which were previously announced. The public investment in these projects is expected to attract more than $104 million in private sector investment.

“Every investment we make in rural North Carolina enhances our state’s economic competitiveness and people’s lives,” said Governor Stein. “These local governments grantees are receiving critical funding for infrastructure improvements that spur job creation and help their communities compete for future economic development wins.”

The RIA is supported by the rural economic development team at the North Carolina Department of Commerce. 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 the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, which is led by Assistant Secretary for Rural Development Reginald Speight. Grants support a variety of activities, including infrastructure development, building renovation, building expansion, building demolition, and site improvements.

“The rural grant programs are vital to North Carolina’s economic prosperity,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “These grant awards are a testament to the assets that attract companies across all sectors to every corner of our state, including a world-class workforce, a central East Coast location, and a great quality of life.”

The RIA approved 13 grant requests under the state’s Building Reuse Program. The grants fall into three categories:

Vacant Building Category

• Bladen County: A $220,000 grant will support the reuse of a 26,400-square-foot building in Elizabethtown. The site will be occupied by VectorTex USA, LTD, an advanced manufacturer of innovative technologies for the medical device and aquaculture industries. The project will create 29 jobs overall, with an investment of $236,400. 
• Forsyth County: A $250,000 grant will support the reuse of a 12,300-square-foot building in Winston-Salem. The facility is set to be used by WH Farms, a manufacturer of hemp and hemp wellness products. The company is expected to create 38 jobs with a private investment of $1,350,000. 
• City of Asheboro (Randolph County): A $500,000 grant will support the renovation of a 284,000-square-foot building in Asheboro. The facility will be occupied by Environmental Air Systems, an industrial building and service provider for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing building systems. Overall, the company is expected to create 300 jobs with an investment of $19,500,000 tied to this grant. 
• Town of Ramseur (Randolph County): A $175,000 grant will support the reuse of a 55,000-square-foot building in Ramseur. Earth Retention Industries, Inc., a civil engineering firm, will occupy the vacant building in this company expansion. The project is expected to create 21 jobs with an investment of $2,537,000. 
• Town of Zebulon (Wake County): A $300,000 grant will support the reuse of a 105,800-square-foot building in Zebulon. Vacant for three years, the facility will be occupied by TNT 3D Construction, an advanced 3D concrete printing and sustainable building solutions company. The company is expected to create 36 jobs with a private investment of $720,588. 

Existing Business Building Category

• Ashe County: A $250,000 grant will support the expansion of a building in West Jefferson that is occupied by GE Aerospace, a global manufacturer of jet engines, components, and integrated systems for commercial and military aircraft. With the overall project, the company will create 44 jobs and invest $52.9 million, while 32 jobs and an investment of $52,735,800 are tied to this grant. 
• Town of Mocksville (Davie County): A $150,000 grant will support the addition of 46,000 square feet to a building that is occupied by Sportsfield Specialties, Inc. The company designs and manufactures products for the sports equipment market and is expected to create 20 jobs with a private investment of $4,051,500. 
• Hertford County: An $80,000 grant will support the expansion of a building in Murfreesboro that is occupied by Metal Technologies of Murfreesboro. The company is a custom metal fabrication manufacturer for the steel, chemical, and infrastructure industries. The project will create 10 jobs with a private investment of $269,228. 
• Nash County: A $200,000 grant will support the expansion of a building in Middlesex that is occupied by Eaton, Inc. The manufacturer of hoses and belting for the aerospace industry will add 40,000 square feet to the facility. Overall, the project will add 30 new jobs with an investment of $6.8 million, while 25 jobs and a private investment of $5,950,974 are tied to this grant. 
• Wayne County: A $200,000 grant will support a 10,000- square- foot addition to a building in Mount Olive that is occupied by Goshen Engineering, Inc. The industrial automation company provides engineering solutions for the automotive, electronics and food production sectors. The company plans to create 25 jobs and invest $794,501 in this project. 
• Wayne County: A $95,000 grant will support the renovation of a 121,170-square-foot building in Goldsboro. The facility will be occupied by Scout Limited, Inc., a wholesale and distribution company, that will create 13 jobs while investing $320,000 for the project. 
   

Rural Health Building Category

• Rowan County: A $500,000 grant will support the construction of a 30,000-square-foot building in Salisbury for Complete Well-Care Source to establish its headquarters and new clinical space. The behavioral health care company provides mental and home health services. With this project, the organization expects to create 125 jobs while investing $14,495,782. 
• City of Albemarle (Stanly County): A $350,000 grant will support the reuse of a 17,000-square-foot building that has been vacant for more than five years. Pee Dee Health Clinic, a new family medical facility through Atrium Health, will provide primary and urgent care, as well as train family physicians to meet community needs. The project will create 28 jobs with a private investment of $1,235,500. 

The Building Reuse Program provides grants to local governments to renovate vacant buildings, renovate and/or expand buildings occupied by existing North Carolina companies, and renovate, expand, or construct health care facilities that will lead to the creation of new jobs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as in rural census tracts of Tier 3 counties.

The RIA approved two grant requests under the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account program:

• Town of West Jefferson (Ashe County): A $922,113 grant will support improvements to the town’s water and sewer infrastructure on the 42-acre site of Ashe Industrial Park. 
• Town of Bladenboro (Bladen County): An $850,000 grant will assist the town with wastewater infrastructure improvements, including a new pump station and force main, to help provide capacity for future industrial and commercial growth. 

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.

In addition to reviewing and approving funding requests, the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority formulates policies and priorities for grant and loan programs administered by the Commerce Department’s Rural Economic Development team. Its 17 voting members are appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, and Senate President Pro Tem. The North Carolina Secretary of Commerce serves as an ex officio member of the authority.

Visit the Rural Economic Development Division webpage for more information.