North Carolina is launching a new $50 million state-funded grant program to support local governments while they continue to rebuild after the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene, Gov. Josh Stein announced Monday.
The Office of State Budget and Management will administer the Helene Local Government Capital Grants to repair, renovate, or replace infrastructure damaged during the storm, which made landfall in Perry, Florida, as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26, 2025. It continued inland, bringing torrential rain and catastrophic flooding through Georgia and Western North Carolina.
“Local governments are on the front lines of rebuilding communities and restoring services after Hurricane Helene, and I thank the General Assembly for investing in them,” Stein said. “These grants will help towns and counties across western North Carolina bolster critical infrastructure that keeps people safe.”
Eligible projects must be located within Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated areas and have already been denied FEMA Public Assistance reimbursement for areas affected by Helene.
Funding is open to units of local government and federally recognized tribes with capital improvement needs, with the deadline to apply on Nov. 21.
“Our staff looks forward to working with our partners in recovery at the local level,” said State Budget Office Kristin Walker.
The announcement comes after North Carolina leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to meet with the Trump administration and members of Congress to discuss a funding request of $13.5 billion for Hurricane Helene recovery.
Stein was joined by officials from Buncombe, Ashe, Haywood, Madison, and Rutherford counties.
The officials met with U.S. Reps. Alma Adams, Addison McDowell, Don David, Chuck Edwards, Valerie Foushee, Virginia Foxx, Pat Harrigan, Richard Hudson, Greg Murphy, Tim Moore, Deborah Ross, and U.S. Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis, as well as Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought.
“It’s been nearly a year since Hurricane Helene, and while we are grateful for every dollar of federal support we have received, we need more,” Stein said in a statement.
On Friday, Stein announced five western counties are receiving more than $86 million in funding for potable and wastewater infrastructure projects, specifically to improve flood resilience systems for both drinking water and septic systems in disaster-affected areas.
“Too many people lost access to water when Hurricane Helene struck, and in some places, it took months to be able to guarantee potable water,” Stein said in a press release.
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson said these are the first awards from a $686 million EPA fund for drinking water and septic system upgrades.
“Importantly, all funded projects must ensure that the systems will be more resilient to future flooding events,” Wilson said. “Having clean and reliable water is critical for the health of our people. Everyone expects and deserves to turn on the tap and receive water that is safe to drink.”
