Rural Infrastructure Program

The Infrastructure Program provides grants to local governments to assist with public infrastructure projects that will lead to the direct creation of new, full-time, private-sector jobs. The program requires a cash match of 5% of the grant request amount.

Eligible Projects: 

Grants are available to assist with planning, materials, labor, and administration costs to complete public infrastructure improvements, including:

• Construction, upgrade, or repair of public drinking water or wastewater treatment plants
• Construction, upgrade, extension, of repair of public water or sewer lines
• Publicly owned natural gas lines (requires an executed Pipeline Construction, Operating and Resale Agreement)
• Construction of publicly owned access roads not funded or owned by the Department of Transportation
• Construction of public rail spur improvements

Eligible Applicants:

Eligible applicants are units of local government located in Tier 1 or Tier 2 counties, or within a rural census tract in a Tier 3 county. As prescribed in N.C.G.S. 143B-472.127(a)(2), a rural census tract is an area having a population density of less than 500 people per square mile in accordance with the most recent decennial federal census. Tier ranking information can be found here on the NC Department of Commerce website. 

Funding Availability:

The potential funding available for each project will be assessed through analysis of the project and will be based upon the project's location, the quantity and quality of jobs committed, and the overall economic impact of the project, at the discretion of the Rural Infrastructure Authority.

A cash match of five percent of the grant request amount is required. The match may not be derived from other State or Federal grant funds. The program includes claw-back provisions requiring repayment of the grant if the jobs committed are not created and/or maintained for six consecutive months during the two-year grant period.

Awards are made by the Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA). This body meets six times per year to award projects. Meeting dates and application deadlines can be found here.

For application materials, click here.

Contact Information:

Hazel Edmond, Director
Rural Engagement & Investment
Rural Economic Development Division
984-297-5082 (Mobile)
hazel.edmond@commerce.nc.gov