Third round of Rural Transformation Grants awarded to boost local economies; Towns in Sampson, Moore and Bladen receive funds

By Staff Report, posted Jun 15, 2023 on BizFayetteville.com

Photo courtesy of NC Department of Commerce

Governor Roy Cooper recently announced that 29 local governments in rural areas across the state have been awarded grants from the Rural Transformation Grant Fund, five of these 29 are located within GFBJ’s seven county coverage area.

A total of $8 million will be issued in this third round of grantmaking from the Fund, which helps local governments overcome challenges that limit their economic competitiveness. The North Carolina Department of Commerce and its Rural Economic Development Division administers the fund.

“These transformative grants can make a real difference in rural communities by reviving downtowns and strengthening neighborhoods,” said Governor Roy Cooper in a press release. “These funds, with the support of our rural development team at the Department of Commerce, will bring more economic opportunity to people across the state.”

Local governments throughout GFBJ’s coverage area that were awarded project grants in this third round include:

City of Clinton: $350,000

City of Clinton (Sampson County): This grant will support a project to rehabilitate Clinton’s Historic Downtown Theatre located at 115 Fayetteville Street. The renovation includes balcony and façade improvements, restoring two window openings, removal and historically accurate replacement of the marquee hip roof resulting in preserving the Theatre's historic character.

Town of Cameron: $400,000

Town of Cameron (Moore County): This grant to support the acquisition of a 6.05- acre corner lot that is adjacent to the town’s only municipal-owned park. The Town would also like to construct an open air pavilion to be utilized as a rental space.

Town of Elizabethtown: $150,000

Town of Elizabethtown (Bladen County): This grant will support the acquisition and clearance of the Ace Wrecker property which was used as a salvage and holding lot. This project would remediate any contaminants, clear and grade to build 18 workforce housing apartment units. This award is a re-appropriation, due to scope adjustment, of an earlier RTGF award to Elizabethtown.

Town of Carthage: $49,999

Town of Carthage (Moore County): This grant will be used to sufficiently implement the Rural Transformation Grant that was received in December of 2022.

Town of Vass: $49,999

Town of Vass (Moore County): This grant will be used to design and develop a small pocket park near downtown.

A list of all the awarded projects along with brief descriptions of each can be found at the Commerce website: https://www.commerce.nc.gov/guidelines-project-descriptions-round-3-rural-transformation-grants/open.

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