The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved eight grant requests to local governments totaling $1,650,000. These grants are for projects that have committed to creating 297 jobs and will attract more than $234 million in public and private investment.
The Rural Infrastructure Authority is a 17-member board that awards Rural, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), and Utility grant funds, which include the Building Reuse Program and the Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account program. 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 healthcare facilities that will lead to the creation of new jobs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties and rural census tracts of Tier 3 counties. The RIA approved eight grant requests under this program in the Vacant Building, Existing Business Building and Rural Health Building categories:
Vacant Building Category
- City of Lenoir (Caldwell County): A $140,000 grant will support the reuse of a 13,000-square-foot building in Lenoir where Nutrameltz, a health and wellness brand that specializes in premium supplement offerings like vitamins, minerals, herbs and nutraceuticals, plans to locate. The project is expected to create 18 jobs, with a private investment of $2,236,626 tied to this grant.
- City of High Point (Guilford County): A $200,000 grant will support the reuse of a 108,000-square-foot building in High Point. This building will be occupied by C&C Industries, a company specializing in private labeling, contract filling, and logistic services for products ranging from cosmetics to over-the-counter medication. The project is set to create 24 jobs, with a private investment of $5,875,967 tied to this grant.
Existing Business Building Category
- City of Mebane (Alamance County): A $145,000 grant will support the renovation of a 167,000-square-foot building in Mebane. The facility is occupied by Sandvik Coromant, a global manufacturer of engineering tools and machining solutions. The company expects to create 18 jobs and invest $1,295,207 in this project.
- Burke County: A $175,000 grant will support the renovation of a 92,500-square-foot building in Hildebran. The facility is occupied by Miller Knoll, one of several companies under the Geiger International, Inc. umbrella, which manufactures seating and tables for health care, higher education, corporate office, and residential markets. With this expansion, the company expects to create 47 jobs and invest $354,000.
- Town of Aberdeen (Moore County): A $160,000 grant will support the renovation of a 35,000-square-foot building in Aberdeen that is occupied by Reliance Packaging, LLC, a company that extrudes, prints, and converts heavy-duty bags and printed roll-stock primarily for lawn and garden products. This project is set to create 32 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $7,459,891.
- Robeson County: A $500,000 grant will support the 10,000-square-foot expansion of a building in Maxton that is currently occupied by Campbell Soup Company. The expansion will create 124 jobs, with an accompanying private investment of $181,750,000.
Rural Health Building Category
- Brunswick County: A $250,000 grant will support the reuse of a 73,000-square-foot building in Supply where Medaci Wellness Institute Transformation, a comprehensive continuum care facility that offers services from inpatient detoxification to residential rehabilitation, will locate. With this project, the company is expected to create 25 jobs and invest $35 million.
- Robeson County: An $80,000 grant will support the reuse of a 3,605-square-foot building in Rowland. The building will be occupied by Hope Health Family Practice, LLC, a business offering a wide range of services including primary care, prevention & wellness, and mental health therapy. The company plans to create 9 jobs and invest $460,000 with this project.
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 N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development team. The Governor, Speaker of the House and Senate President Pro Tem appoint its 17 voting members. The North Carolina Secretary of Commerce serves as a member of the Authority, ex officio.
For additional information about N.C. Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division, visit www.nccommerce.com/rd.