Best Grants for Community Service Projects in North Carolina

The Norfolk Southern Corporate Giving: Thriving Communities Grant Program supports initiatives that promote sustainability, workforce development, and community resilience across a 22-state network. With grants ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, the program aims to foster economic development and ensure equal access to basic necessities. Eligible organizations include tax-exempt nonprofits, government entities, and public schools, emphasizing diversity and inclusion in their community-focused efforts.

The Rural Downtown Economic Development Grants program, administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, aims to revitalize downtown areas in the state's most distressed counties. This initiative prioritizes projects that enhance public infrastructure, support economic development, and foster community-wide uses. Eligible local government units can receive grants up to $850,000, focusing on initiatives that leverage downtown assets for economic growth while ensuring a cash match of at least 5% from local resources.

The Building and Site Fund Grants - Demolition Grants by the North Carolina Department of Commerce aim to assist local governments in demolishing old, unsuitable buildings on promising industrial sites. This program focuses on Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, particularly benefiting communities with populations under 5,000. By removing these structures, the grants facilitate site rehabilitation and enhance availability for future economic development, paving the way for a more prosperous community.

North Carolina Department of Commerce

The Department connects businesses with the site locations, workforce and infrastructure they need to succeed in one of the nation's top states for business. We also connect local communities with the grants and funding they need to attract new business and ensure future prosperity.

Additionally, our executive branch agency administers the state’s economic incentives program and publishes data, statistics, information and reports for those interested in our state’s economy.

Building Reuse | Federal CDBG Economic Development

You can apply to renovate and up-fit vacant industrial and commercial buildings for economic development purposes with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. The CDBG building reuse applications are designed to return vacant industrial/commercial buildings to economic use for new and/or expanding business and industry. The ultimate goal is to provide jobs for low and moderate-income persons (LMI).

The North Carolina Small Cities Community Development Block Program provides funds to local governments to develop viable communities “by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.” The program reflects purposes outlined by the U.S. Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended. Our department administers the program, which falls under the CDBG Economic Development (ED) category, through Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division (REDD). State rules related to the CDBG program are found in North Carolina Administrative Code 4 NCAC 19L and specific CDBG economic development rules are found at 4 NCAC 1K.

Grant Limits and Basic Requirements

Building Reuse funds may be applied for at any time during the year, however the Rural Infrastructure Authority which meets six times a year must approve the application.

A local government applicant must propose a project in conjunction with a private for profit business that proposes to restore a vacant building to economic use resulting in the creation of permanent, full-time jobs by the project company. A job is considered full-time if the employee works at least 1600 hours per year. To be eligible, documentation must be provided showing the building has been vacant thirty (30) consecutive days or more prior to the date of the pre-application conference. CDBG funds for this category are limited to a maximum of $750,000 per unit of government. The grant amount is calculated based on $20,000 per job for eligible businesses and $12,000 per job for all other businesses. To be eligible, a business must also meet all of the eligibility criteria specified in GS105-129.80. 

All applicants must also meet basic threshold and performance requirements for any prior CDBG grants awarded by the Rural Economic Development Division.