With small businesses grappling to rebound from Hurricane Helene's devastation, Governor Josh Stein steps in with a financial salve—a robust $55 million grant program aimed at revitalizing the battered infrastructure in western North Carolina. Announced today, the state-backed Small Business Infrastructure Grant Program (SmBIZ) offers local governments up to $1 million in individual grants to repair essential public works.
Recognizing the heartbeat of western North Carolina's economy as its small businesses and their communal spaces, the governor underscored the urgency of aiding them; "Western North Carolina’s economy is dependent on its vibrant downtowns and small businesses, and helping them recover is critically important," Governor Stein stated. The newly legislated Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part 1, which he signed last month, backs the funding these grants are funneling from, these funds that are now urgently poised to mend the ruptures in a community trying to find its post-deluge footing.
The Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division will be overseeing the grant applications, administering funds on a first-come, first-served basis. While the infrastructure in question can't be owned or maintained by the small business itself, a wide range of repair work qualifies—from utility fixes to sidewalk revamps, all with the intent to bolster access and operations for small businesses employing less than 150 people.
The collaborative spirit of recovery permeates the official messaging, with North Carolina Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley expressing rich appreciation for the swift generosity shown by the state; "Successful recovery from disasters of Helene’s magnitude requires everyone to pull together and marshal support from many different sources, both state and federal," he conveyed gratitude for the vital new infrastructure recovery program and the funds speedily provided by the North Carolina General Assembly to facilitate this much-needed communal recuperation, as per the Governor's office announcement.
