Best Grants for Rural Development in North Carolina

Governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits in North Carolina can seek up to US $500,000 for rural economic development projects through the Open Grants Program. With a mission to strengthen North Carolina’s economy, Golden LEAF provides funding for job creation, agriculture, workforce preparedness, public infrastructure, and community competitiveness in tobacco-dependent and economically distressed rural communities.

Focused on rural downtown economic development, North Carolina local governments in eligible distressed counties can apply for North Carolina Department of Commerce grants up to US $850,000 to improve publicly owned downtown infrastructure, buildings, and mixed-use properties. Projects must be in designated downtown or central business districts and include at least a 5% local cash match.

North Carolina rural development organizations can access funding through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to lead regional health transformation efforts. Hub Leads manage reimbursement-based funding, coordinate partners, and implement community-driven strategies to expand primary care, integrate behavioral health, strengthen the workforce, and modernize care delivery for rural communities across North Carolina.

Golden LEAF Foundation

Golden LEAF’s mission is to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. Golden LEAF has worked to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation. For more than 25 years, the Foundation has provided lasting impact to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and rural areas of the state.

SITE Program

Golden LEAF recognizes that rural and economically distressed communities must have industrial sites and shell buildings available for development to attract new businesses and create opportunities for existing businesses to expand. To address this need, Golden LEAF created the SITE Program. Through this program, Golden LEAF provides support to communities to identify potential industrial sites for economic development, enable completion of due diligence on industrial sites already identified, extend public utilities to or conduct grading and clearing of industrial sites for which due diligence has been completed, and to construct industrial shell buildings. Golden LEAF accepts applications from organizations in all counties but prioritizes awards within counties that have been persistently economically distressed (as demonstrated by County Tier status determined by the N.C. Department of Commerce) and in economically distressed, rural, and tobacco-dependent communities. Funding in the SITE Program is limited and the application process is expected to be competitive.

The SITE Program consists of four phases: SITE Program – Identification; SITE Program – Due Diligence; SITE Program – Development; and SITE Program – Shell Building.

Communities are able to participate in the program in any of the four phases, and a site may progress from Identification through Due Diligence, Development, and Shell Building over time.

Golden LEAF intends for the SITE Program to complement other site readiness and site development programs existing in North Carolina and has coordinated its program requirements with those other programs. See the SITE Program Resources page for information on other site readiness programs.

SITE Program – Shell Building

SITE Program – Shell Building provides funding for clearing and grading, site preparation, and construction of industrial shell buildings on publicly owned sites. May be combined with SITE Program – Development funding in a single project.

Golden LEAF offers an opportunity to seek funding for construction of industrial shell building as part of the SITE Program. This funding complements other funding available in the SITE Program, including for SITE Identification, SITE Due Diligence, and SITE Development. Funding available in the SITE Shell Building phase is in addition to funding available in other phases of the SITE Program.

Use of Funds

Grantees will use Golden LEAF funds to hire third-party professionals to complete eligible site development and building construction activities. The building and site must be owned by a governmental entity or 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. Golden LEAF funds can be used for:

• Extension of public utilities (typically water and sewer) to the site
• Remediation of environmental conditions to enable industrial development
• Grading, clearing, and other site preparation activities
• Due diligence, planning, design, engineering, pre-construction, and construction activities for a shell building and required utilities

The grantee will procure the contractors for the project. 

Public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and federally recognized Tribes in rural North Carolina can use this program to purchase, construct, or improve essential community facilities and related equipment. Focused on rural development, USDA Rural Development invites applicants from communities under 20,000 residents to support health care, public safety, community services, education, utilities, and local food systems.

North Carolina rural development and community organizations in small or isolated communities can access funding for arts programming through South Arts’ Arts in Rural Places Grant, with awards up to US $3,000 for Southern artist fees. Eligible applicants are tax-exempt nonprofits or government/tribal entities in South Arts’ nine-state region that provide at least two public arts activities and a dollar-for-dollar cash match.

North Carolina local governments in eligible rural counties or census tracts can access funding for public infrastructure projects that create new full-time private-sector jobs. North Carolina rural development communities can access funding through the North Carolina Department of Commerce for planning, materials, labor, and administration costs for water, sewer, natural gas, road, and rail improvements.

Local governments in North Carolina seeking to support rural development can apply for grants to renovate, expand, or construct buildings for business use, including health care entities. Grants from North Carolina Department of Commerce help fund vacant and existing building reuse in eligible rural areas, with a required local cash match equal to the grant request.

Nonprofit microenterprise development organizations, tribes, and higher education institutions in North Carolina can access USDA funding to capitalize rural microloan revolving funds and provide training and technical assistance. Grants up to US $205,000 and larger loans support microloans for working capital, refinancing, equipment, and real estate improvements in eligible rural areas.

Local governments in eligible rural or distressed North Carolina areas can seek funding to demolish vacant, unsuitable industrial buildings and prepare sites for future economic development. Grants from North Carolina Department of Commerce provide up to US $150,000 to support site rehabilitation, with priority for smaller towns and communities in Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties.

Focused on rural development and justice, Southern Partners Fund invites rural North Carolina community-based 501(c)(3) organizations and fiscally sponsored projects to seek general or project support for grassroots organizing. Eligible groups use community organizing to advance social, economic, environmental, housing, health, youth, education, voting, or criminal justice reforms in rural Southeastern communities.

The Rural Housing Preservation Grant (HPG) program, administered by the USDA's Rural Housing Service, offers funding to support very low- and low-income homeowners in rural areas. This program also assists rental property owners and cooperative housing complexes in making necessary repairs and renovations, ensuring that housing remains accessible to those in need. Preapplications must be submitted by September 8, 2026, to comply with regulatory requirements.

The Powering Affordable Reliable Technology (PART) Energy Program, managed by the Rural Utilities Service, seeks Letters of Interest for loan applications to fund renewable energy generation and energy storage projects. With approximately $410 million available from the Inflation Reduction Act, the program offers up to 75% financing for project costs, along with potential loan forgiveness options. This initiative aims to enhance energy infrastructure in rural areas, promoting sustainable energy solutions.

Rural-focused state and local REALTOR associations in North Carolina can use this grant to educate members about rural issues, covering instructor fees, venues, refreshments, and outreach materials. Focused on rural development, the National Association of Realtors offers up to US $3,000 per year per association on a reimbursement basis.

North Carolina rural development and community-focused REALTOR associations can access funding for studies, events, and public outreach on rural issues through the Level 2 Rural Outreach Grant. Offered by the National Association of Realtors, this reimbursement grant provides up to US $7,500 for instructor or consultant fees, venues, refreshments, and outreach materials.

Nonprofit organizations, Tribal Designated Housing Entities, and federally recognized Native American tribes working on rural affordable housing or community development can access direct technical assistance through the OneRural program in North Carolina and other eligible rural areas. With a mission to strengthen rural communities, Housing Assistance Council provides customized support to improve operations, build capacity, and expand impact.

Nonprofit institutions that establish and operate rural cooperative development centers can apply for NIFA’s Rural Cooperative Development Grants, offering up to US $1,000,000 to provide technical assistance for cooperatives and mutually owned rural businesses. Grants from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture help North Carolina rural development efforts focused on job creation, value-added processing, and stronger local economies.

Focused on rural development, USDA: Rural Development invites very small, financially distressed rural communities in North Carolina to seek funding for predevelopment planning of water and waste disposal projects. Eligible state and local governments, nonprofits, and federally recognized tribes can use support for feasibility studies, preliminary design, engineering analysis, and technical assistance for future infrastructure applications.

Grants from Rural Climate Partnership help North Carolina rural development organizations implement equitable, locally led climate solutions. Rural-based nonprofits, public agencies, religious organizations, tribal governments, and national groups with a strong rural focus across the U.S. can request US $20,000 - US $150,000 for general operating or project support to strengthen rural economies and communities.

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) - Community Systems Development aims to enhance behavioral health systems in rural areas by providing funding for the development and expansion of services. This initiative supports the establishment of formalized networks to boost operational and clinical capacity, ensuring effective implementation of evidence-based substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services tailored to community needs.

The North Carolina Appalachian Regional Commission Funds support economic development across 13 states, focusing on infrastructure, workforce, and community resilience. Administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the program prioritizes projects that enhance local economies, particularly in areas affected by Hurricane Helene. Funding caps are set at $700,000 for construction and $300,000 for non-construction projects, with special considerations for distressed counties and workforce development initiatives.

The Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Water Grants program, administered by the USDA's Rural Utilities Service, aims to provide funding for water infrastructure repairs in areas affected by federally declared disasters during 2022. Eligible applicants include public bodies, non-profit organizations, and tribes, all required to demonstrate capacity and legal authority. The grants support not only repairs but also the enhancement of system resilience to mitigate future risks.

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Evaluation aims to assess the effectiveness of behavioral health strategies in rural settings. By developing evaluation tools and resources, this initiative seeks to empower local communities in their health initiatives, ensuring that future programs are informed by comprehensive evaluations. Funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, the program highlights the importance of tailored approaches to address opioid-related challenges in rural areas.

The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design (CIRD), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and the Housing Assistance Council, invites rural communities to apply for design support. CIRD aims to enhance rural life and economic viability through planning and creative placemaking, empowering local citizens to address unique community challenges. Opportunities include Local Design Workshops and a Design Learning Cohort, providing resources, training, and support to foster community-driven solutions.

The Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant Program offers $10,000 in startup funding for community-driven groups in small towns to adopt the Community Heart & Soul model. Applications are accepted until 11:59 p.m. EST on the last business day of each month, with funding decisions made the following month. This initiative aims to empower residents to engage in local development and foster community connections.

The ZSRF Community Progress Fund Grant supports local organizations in North Carolina's rural counties by providing short-term funding to address community needs, enhance projects, and foster innovative ideas. The grant aims to empower groups such as food banks and shelters, emphasizing community-driven solutions and inclusivity. With funding between $20,000 and $30,000 annually for one or two years, it encourages applicants to demonstrate existing momentum and align with the foundation's core values.

The FRS Community Grant Program supports rural communities served by NTCA members, offering grants up to $5,000 for various local initiatives. Priority is given to projects that promote economic development, education, health, and public service. Eligible applicants must secure a 10% match of the grant amount requested. Ineligible projects include overhead expenses, individuals, and those without secured funding. FRS aims to foster sustainable and engaged rural communities through these efforts.