Renew NC offers prescreenings for Commercial District Revitalization and Community Infrastructure programs

RALEIGH – Starting February 9, Renew NC is offering a prescreening opportunity to help potential applicants, such as local governments or nonprofits, prepare for the upcoming launch of the Commercial District Revitalization (CDR) and Community Infrastructure (CI) programs.

While prescreening is not required to submit a program application, it is strongly encouraged. Prescreening provides an initial review to help determine whether proposed Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) projects align with federal requirements, meet a national objective, and demonstrate financial feasibility.

Both programs are funded through a CDBG-DR grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Of the $1.4 billion in CDBG-DR funding allocated to North Carolina for western North Carolina recovery, $111.14 million is allocated for the Commercial District Revitalization Program and $193.5 million for the Community Infrastructure Program.

Projects submitted for either program must be located in HUD- or State-identified most impacted and distressed (MID) areas, which include 28 counties and one ZIP code: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg (ZIP code 28214), Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey.

Commercial District Revitalization Program  

The CDR program will be available to help eligible local governments and non-profit organizations revitalize commercial districts damaged by Hurricane Helene. By facilitating the return of commercial districts and businesses to profitability, jobs will be created or retained within the western NC community, and residents will continue to have access to the products and services they need within their local community.

The award range for the CDR program is $500,000 to $10 million. Eligible uses of funds under the Commercial District Revitalization program will include, but not be limited to:  

• Acquisition, demolition, site preparation, or rehabilitation of commercial structures carried out by a sub-recipient;  
• Assistance for small businesses for rehabilitation and physical improvements to their places of business;  
• Mixed-use projects involving commercial revitalization and housing components; and  
• Facade improvements to private or public structures in commercial areas.

Community Infrastructure Program

The CI program will be open to local governments in HUD- or State-identified MID areas. Competitive grant funding will support infrastructure projects that help Hurricane Helene-impacted communities rebuild and become more resilient to future natural hazards.

The award range for the CI program is $500,000 to $15 million. Eligible uses of funds under the Community Infrastructure program will include, but not be limited to:  

• Flood control and stormwater management systems;  
• Restoration of infrastructure (e.g., water, sewer, streets, bridges);  
• Restoration of public spaces, including parks and community centers.

Prescreening Process

On Monday, February 9, both programs began offering prescreening for project planning and technical assistance, as needed. The prescreening process is intended to help the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Community Revitalization (DCR) assess unmet needs and assist potential applicants in determining whether a proposed project is likely to:

• Have the organizational capacity and experience to manage funds.
• Order the funding of assistance to avoid duplication of benefits.
• Access project shovel readiness to include (design, affordability, feasibility, and community impact).  

To sign up:

1. Visit the Renew NC Grant Portal.
2. Click 'sign up now' to create an account.
3. Follow the prompts to provide the necessary information.
4. Once the prescreen is complete, a DCR staff member will follow up to discussion the submission.

Helpful user guides for the Renew NC Grant Portal and prescreening process are provided as additional resources at the Commercial District Revitalization Program webpage and the Community Infrastructure Program webpage. These pages feature information on funding allocation and eligibility requirements, as well.

Prescreening will remain open and can also be utilized before and during the application window. The prescreen can be saved at any point during the submission process and does not have to be completed in one sitting. Renew NC anticipates launching the Commercial District Revitalization program in March and the Community Infrastructure program in spring – pending resolution of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Public Assistance determinations.