Gov. Josh Stein announces $65 million for Western North Carolina hurricane recovery grants
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Workers cleanup debris and mud at Lake Lure, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, near Chimney Rock, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
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FILE - Resident Anne Schneider, right, hugs her friend, Eddy Sampson, as they survey damage caused by Hurricane Helene on Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, N.C. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)
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Part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, damaged in Hurricane Helene, is under construction near Ferrin Knob Tunnel in Candler, N.C., June 2025. (National Parks Service via AP)
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FILE - Debris from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene is seen, Sept. 30, 2024, in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
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FILE - A view of damage in Asheville, N.C., is seen during an aerial tour with President Joe Biden who looked at areas impacted by Hurricane Helene near Asheville, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
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Homes lie in a debris field in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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A woman walks to her damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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A helicopter lands at the volunteer fire station in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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Dominick Gucciardo walks to his home in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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Homes lie in a debris field in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, in Pensacola, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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President Joe Biden speaks with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in Keaton Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, during his tour of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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An aerial view of flood damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Erwin, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
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Lowe's store located in Boone, N.C. Teams worked through the night to remove debris and flood damage in order to reopen the store to serve the hard-hit community the day after the storm passed. (AP/PR Newswire)
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Debris is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Asheville, N.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
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Employees Linda Bandy, left, and Carissa Sheehan clean up International Moulding frame shop damaged by flood water from Hurricane Helene on North Green Street, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, in Morganton, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
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A stop sign can be barely seen above a flooded parking lot after torrential rain from Hurricane Helene caused severe flooding, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Morganton, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
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A couple of RVs are abandoned in the flooded Ingles parking lot due to the torrential rains from Hurricane Helene, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Morganton, N.C. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)
RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina Governor Josh Stein announced Monday a $65 million allocation for the second round of a state-funded grant program designed to aid local governments and volunteer fire departments recovering from Hurricane Helene.
The Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) will manage the Helene Local Government Capital Grant Program. The initiative provides direct funding to repair, renovate, or replace local infrastructure damaged during the storm.
“Local governments and volunteer fire departments have been essential to rebuilding our communities since Hurricane Helene,” Stein said. “Continued funding for this program will help towns and counties across western North Carolina strengthen critical infrastructure and provide resources to the volunteer fire departments that keep people safe.”
The grant program is open to municipal governments, county governments, federally recognized tribes, and volunteer fire departments operating within FEMA-designated disaster areas. To qualify for the state grants, proposed infrastructure projects must be ineligible for standard federal reimbursement through FEMA Public Assistance.
State officials noted that individual grant award amounts will be determined by statutory caps set per recipient and county.
“Our team is ready to get this money out quickly and efficiently,” State Budget Director Kristin Walker said.
The application period is now open, and eligible entities have until Nov. 23, 2026, to submit their funding requests to the OSBM.
