NC's Rural Infrastructure Authority approved 20 grant requests, totaling to over $8M

NORTH CAROLINA (WTVD) -- Over 800 new jobs are coming to rural communities across North Carolina.

The state's Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) is an appointed 17-member board that awards Rural, Community Development Block Grants and Utility grant funds.

Governor Roy Cooper announced Thursday the RIA approved 20 grant requests to local governments, which totals over $8 million. This will create 802 jobs, 408 of which were previously announced.

This funding will help with things like repurposing buildings, downtown development and industrial projects. The public investment in these projects will attract more than $474 million in public and private investment.

"Continued investments in building capacity and utility infrastructure are critical for attracting more economic opportunities to rural North Carolina," Gov. Cooper said. "With these grants, all North Carolinians can access a better quality of life and increased economic prosperity."

Here's where some of the funding will go.

Under the state's Building Reuse Program which is organized into two categories:

Vacant Building
Davidson County: A $500,000 grant will go toward the reuse of a 329,000-square-foot building in Lexington. This building is occupied by US Foods, Inc.
Wayne County: A $300,000 grant will support the reuse of a 70,000-square-foot building in Goldsboro. The building is occupied by Alta Foods.

Existing Business Building
Alamance County: A $100,000 grant will support the renovation of a 114,333-square-foot building in Graham that is occupied by Cintas Corporation.
Davidson County: A $30,000 grant will support the renovation of a 131,250-square-foot building in Lexington that is occupied by Navis TubeTex.
Johnston County: A $150,000 grant will support the renovation of a 550,000-square-foot building in Benson, occupied by Chicopee, LLC.
Pitt County: A $250,000 grant will support the renovation of a 666,000-square-foot building in Greenville that is occupied by Attindas.

Under the Industrial Development Fund - Utility Account program:

Pitt County: A $2 million grant will assist in adding a substation to support Boviet Solar Technology's expansion in Pitt County.
Wayne County: A $500,000 grant will assist with the construction of a rail spur to support Team Foods USA, Inc.'s new manufacturing facility.

Under the new Rural Downtown Economic Development program, which is organized into two categories:

Public Infrastructure
Franklin County: A $500,000 grant will support the "Downtown Revitalization Project - Water & Front Street Corridor" in Franklinton
Halifax County: A $250,000 grant will assist the Town of Weldon in its project that concentrates on the Riverfront Walking Trail

Public Buildings
Nash County: A $537,500 grant will assist the Town of Spring Hope's Depot Platform Project.

SEE ALSO | NC economic grants aimed at helping rural communities often go to already booming areas: I-Team