North Carolina is getting another infusion of federal disaster money, with FEMA announcing more than $21 million in new grants for recovery and resilience projects tied to Tropical Storm Helene and other recent disasters. The funding splits between reimbursements for completed repair work and hazard mitigation grants meant to prevent future flood damage, touching communities from Asheville to the state's smallest mountain counties.
According to ABC11 News, more than $16 million of the total flows through FEMA's Public Assistance program, which reimburses state and local governments for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and damaged infrastructure repairs. The North Carolina Department of Transportation is receiving $5.4 million for bridge, road, guardrail, and riprap repairs connected to Helene, while North Carolina Emergency Management is getting $2.4 million for emergency protective measures, culvert repairs, and state management costs. That emergency management payout isn't tied to a single storm — it covers projects linked to Helene, Tropical Depression Chantal, and Hurricane Isaias, the August 2020 storm that led to an October major federal disaster declaration covering 15 counties, according to FEMA.
Asheville Bridge and Haw River Sewers Among Local Fixes
The city of Asheville is set to receive $1.7 million for permanent repairs to the Hardesty Lane bridge, which was damaged during Helene, per the same ABC11 report. Up in Haw River, the town is getting $1.1 million to repair sewer systems damaged by Tropical Depression Chantal, while the Hendersonville Affordable Housing Corporation will receive $950,000 to cover management costs tied to its Helene-related Public Assistance grants.
FEMA's Public Assistance grants typically reimburse at a federal cost-share of no less than 75 percent; in North Carolina, the state generally covers the nonfederal share on behalf of local governments and applicants. That cost-share structure means the $16 million in this latest batch covers a major share — but not the entirety — of these communities' rebuilding costs.
Flood Buyouts Target Seven Homes in Yancey County
The other major piece of the award, more than $4 million, comes through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which funds flood-prone property purchases, drainage improvements, stronger building codes, and infrastructure protection, the ABC11 report notes. Yancey County is receiving more than $2 million to purchase and demolish seven flood-prone homes and cover related project management costs, while Henderson County is getting a similar amount to buy and demolish three properties. Catawba County will receive more than $115,000 for property acquisitions, elevations, mitigation reconstruction, and floodproofing.
Under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, properties selected for these voluntary buyouts are purchased at pre-disaster fair market value, demolished, and permanently deed-restricted to remain undeveloped open green space in perpetuity, according to Onslow County Government. That restriction is designed to let floodplains retain their natural water-absorption capacity rather than being rebuilt in harm's way again.
Part of a Much Larger Recovery Pipeline
This $21 million grant is a small fraction of the federal money that has already poured into North Carolina since Helene struck in September 2024. Cumulative FEMA disaster recovery and mitigation funding for the state has topped $7.5 billion as of late September, according to WataugaOnline, including more than $2.5 billion for roughly 3,000 public assistance projects and $567.9 million awarded directly to about 161,000 families. State and local crews, meanwhile, have removed more than 16.6 million cubic yards of storm debris and reopened 99% of state-maintained roads damaged by the storm, the outlet's reporting notes.
Beyond FEMA, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has allocated $1.428 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds to North Carolina to address housing and infrastructure needs once immediate emergency aid runs out, per the North Carolina Department of Commerce. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein also signed Senate Bill 257 into law in July, appropriating more than $700 million in state funds for Helene recovery and pushing total state disaster allocations above $3 billion — money that helps cover local match requirements FEMA grants don't fully pay. Hoodline previously reported on a $15 million tranche of FEMA aid as Stein pushed for faster payouts.
Nationwide Fire Grants Also Benefit North Carolina
Nationwide Fire Grants Also Benefit North Carolina Separately from disaster recovery funding, FEMA announced more than $781 million nationwide for 493 disaster recovery projects. FEMA also awarded nearly $55 million in grants for fire departments, first responder organizations, and other institutions across the Southeast, the ABC11 report states. FEMA Region 4 alone awarded $127.5 million through its fire grant programs in 2026, part of $648 million distributed nationwide. These fire grants — the Assistance to Firefighters Grants, SAFER grants, and Fire Prevention and Safety grants — are authorized under the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act and help departments hire firefighters, buy equipment, and strengthen emergency response capabilities.
In North Carolina, Duke University is receiving nearly $1.5 million to support firefighter safety, health, and well-being initiatives, while Carolina Land & Lakes, a nonprofit organization based in Lenoir, is getting a similar amount for fire prevention and safety efforts. FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton said the agency is strengthening the resilience of American communities by empowering fire departments to obtain staff, training, and equipment, according to ABC11's report.
