Robert Hiett
Executive Director
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Creating Regional Solutions Since 1971 | |
Funding Opportunites and Resources | |
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NC Department of Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division Announces New Grant
The North Carolina Department of Commerce's Rural Economic Development Division announces a NEW GRANT CATEGORY - the Rural Downtown Economic Development Grants (RDEDG). The purpose of this program is to support downtown revitalization and economic development initiatives that are intended to help local governments grow and leverage downtown districts as assets for economic growth, economic development, and prosperity. Funding availability is at the discretion of the Rural Infrastructure Authority.
RDED Grants will support projects that:
*Provide public improvements that help retain business and attract customers to business districts.
*Support publicly owned downtown economic development initiatives that leverage main streets and downtown districts as economic engines.
*Facilitate publicly owned building improvements that are used for community-wide uses or mixed-use development in or on properties that are publicly owned and controlled.
Eligible Activities:
*Public Infrastructure – Improvements to publicly owned infrastructure in a downtown district, that serves a community-wide use, such as lots, alleys, streetscapes, waterfront developments and parks.
*Public Buildings (Renovation or Additions) – Improvements to publicly owned buildings in a downtown district that serve a public, community-wide use, such as a community center, theater, civic center, recreation center, or library.
*Mixed-Use Downtown Development (Renovation or Additions) – Improvements to publicly owned property in a downtown district that may be zoned and developed for a mix of uses. The mix of use may include two or more of the following: retail, restaurant, service, professional, nonprofit, governmental, institutional, or residential.
Please see the guidelines on NC Commerce’s website for more specific information. This grant is based on job creation and retention and may help bridge the funding gap for existing Rural Transformation Grant Funds (RTGF). Job projection and an Environmental Review will be required with the application. There is a 5% local match requirement (new money, not expended yet). The grant deadline is April 1, 2024, with award announcements anticipated for April 18.
Commerce will begin accepting applications for RDED grants February 26, 2024 via the Rural Connect Portal.
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Upcoming Environmental Justice Funding Opportunities
Environmental Justice Funding Opportunities
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to invest 40 million dollars into Environmental Justice (EJ) grants across the country. The EPA’s funding opportunities are expected to award non-profits with grants ranging from $100,000-$500,000 and US Territories, local governments, and federally recognized tribal government with access to $20 million in funding through the State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement (SEJCA) Program. $50 million is dedicated to the creation of Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Centers (EJ TCTAC), one-stop-shops dedicated to supporting environmental justice initiatives in under-served communities.
A 14 minute presentation from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality covering these funding opportunities can be found here.
Other Resources
· EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice
Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center
· EPA Grants
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SITE PROGRAM
Golden LEAF recognizes that rural and economically distressed communities must have sites 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 will provide support to communities to identify potential sites for economic development, enable completion of due diligence on sites already identified, or extend public utilities to or conduct grading and clearing of sites for which due diligence has been completed. Golden LEAF will accept applications from organizations in all counties, but will prioritize 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.
The SITE Program consists of the three phases described below. Communities will be able to participate in the program in any of the three phases, and a site may progress from Identification through to Development over time.
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SITE Program – Identification provides support to identify potential industrial sites in communities that do not currently have quality industrial sites to market.
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SITE Program – Due Diligence provides funding to complete eligible due diligence activities such as environmental assessments, archaeological analyses, and mapping.
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SITE Program – Development provides funding for public infrastructure and, for publicly owned sites, clearing and grading, to benefit sites that have completed the due diligence necessary to demonstrate that the site is suitable for development.
If you’re not sure which phase is right for your project, we have a few questions to help guide you.
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EDA accepting applications to support public planning and construction/renovation projects that advance job creation and economic development
The Economic Development Administration is a federal agency that provides grant funds to support a range of construction and non-construction activities which will advance economic development and enhance the competitive environment in which jobs can be created and private investment leveraged. Public entities, or nonprofit entities working in collaboration with local governments, looking for support to construct or renovate public assets, or to conduct analysis or regional technical assistance programs with clear economic development outcomes should consider EDA’s grant programs. EDA currently has a range of programs available. For further information, please go to https://eda.gov/funding-opportunities/.
North Carolina applicants are also encouraged to reach out to the NC EDA representative, Hillary Sherman at hsherman@eda.gov to discuss program requirements and processes and alignment with potential projects.
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PROTECT
Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Discretionary Grant Program Notice of Funding Opportunity
Summary
The vision of the PROTECT Discretionary Grant Program is to fund projects that address the climate crisis by improving the resilience of the surface transportation system, including highways, public transportation, ports, and intercity passenger rail. Projects selected under this program should be grounded in the best available scientific understanding of climate change risks, impacts, and vulnerabilities. They should support the continued operation or rapid recovery of crucial local, regional, or national surface transportation facilities. Furthermore, selected projects should utilize innovative and collaborative approaches to risk reduction, including the use of natural infrastructure, which is explicitly eligible under the program.
The NOFO can be found on grants.gov at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=347585.
More information on this NOFO and the PROTECT Program can be found at: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/protect/discretionary.
Applicant questions should be directed to: PROTECTdiscretionary@dot.gov
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Registration Now Open!
The 2024 State Energy Conference will be held April 23-24, 2024, at the McKimmon Conference and Training Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Come to network, learn best practices, hear about successful case studies, engage in important energy discussions and more.
The 2024 conference will cover the following topic areas:
- Clean Transportation
- Commercial and Multi-Family Buildings
- Government and Institutional Buildings
- Innovative Technology and Deployments
- Industrial Buildings
- Renewable Energy
- Residential Homes
- Utilities and Infrastructure
Why You Should Attend
- Choose among 30 different sessions in six different tracks.
- Full access to all conference sessions through the conference app for three weeks after the conference is complete.
- Network with exhibitors, sponsors and attendees at designated break times.
- Receive professional continuing education credits (access to all sessions and credits).
Who Should Attend
Architects, decision-makers, engineers, attorneys, real estate brokers, energy and sustainability managers, facilities personnel, property managers, planners and thought leaders from:
- Small businesses
- Developers
- Innovation firms
- Energy companies
- Colleges and universities
- Government and state agencies
- Corporations
- Nonprofit organizations
Become a sponsor or exhibitor
Showcase your business or organization with a sponsorship or exhibit booth at the 2024 State Energy Conference.
Visit the sponsorship and exhibitor webpages or contact Shannon Helm at slhelm@ncsu.edu for more information.
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UCPCOG is co-hosting a low-cost Board Training in May with the UNC School of Government
The School of Government is hitting the road. In April and May, they will be in regional locations across the state to lead half-day workshops on legislative zoning decisions (rezoning, conditional zoning, zoning text amendments). These workshops will focus on the procedures and considerations for legislative land use decisions. The target audience is planning boards, governing boards, and the staff that serve them. UCPCOG is partnering with SOG to host the event in Rocky Mount at Nash Community College on May 8. There will also be an online offering.
- Rocky Mount (Nash Community College): May 8, 2024, 1:00 – 4:30
- Online: May 16, 2024, 1:00 – 4:30
There are also events in other areas of the state, including Chapel Hill. UCPCOG is only co-hosting the Rocky Mount offering and recommends you select that one if you are available. Invite your planning boards and boards of adjustment! AICP credit available.
REGISTER HERE.
Additional information
Purchasing the Workshops:
Group Registrations: Groups of 5-20 people can receive a $10 per person discount. You must designate one person to register all parties in the same transaction to activate the discount.
A. Who should purchase from your unit:
- If you want to receive the group rate, have your one person register everyone in a single transaction.
- Anyone wishing to receive AICP credit for this workshop must be registered and attendance will be verified.
- Do you have to purchase the webinars for each person watching from your board? Yes.
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Adding noreply@sog.unc.edu; uncsog@learningstream.com and aginserra@sog.unc.edu to your contacts will increase the chance of the email getting through.
Issues with purchasing? Simply email the SOG registration department directly at registration@sog.unc.edu for issues with the registration/purchase process, passwords, or logging in. Provide your phone number and brief summary of your issue and someone from that department will contact you shortly. This is the fastest way to get assistance as there are multiple people in that department who can respond to you quickly.
Speaker Bio
Learn more about the instructor, Jim Joyce, here.
If you have any questions, please contact Ben Farmer: bfarmer@ucpcog.org
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Need technical assistance? UNC Environmental Finance Center is here to help!
The UNC Environmental Finance Center offers free one-on-one technical assistance for small water systems. If you have an interest in our support, fill out our interest form here.
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BRIC Direct Technical Assistance for Communities & Tribal Nations
Submit Your Request!
FEMA is Offering BRIC Direct Technical Assistance for Communities and Tribal Nations.
FEMA offers direct technical assistance for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Direct Technical Assistance (BRIC DTA) initiative provides tailored support to communities and tribal nations that may not have the resources to begin climate resilience planning and project solution design on their own. Through process-oriented, hand-in-hand assistance, BRIC DTA will partner with communities interested in enhancing their capability and capacity to design holistic, equitable hazard mitigation solutions that advance community-driven objectives.
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ARPA Update
ARP OFFICE HOURS
- Monday, March 4, 8:30-9:30am
- Monday, March 11, 8:30-9:30am
- Thursday, March 21, 12-1pm
- Wednesday, March 27, 8:30-9:30am
- Thursday, April 4, 12-1pm
- Wednesday, April 10, 12-1pm
- Friday, April 19, 8:30-9:30am
- Wednesday, April 24, 8:30-9:30am
- Monday, April 30, 8:30-9:30am
Zoom Information:
https://zoom.us/j/95481909044?pwd=UlE2VHNhN2luS0JEYTJqeTZTMFRWdz09
Meeting ID: 954 8190 9044
Passcode: 779726
One tap mobile
+16469313860,,95481909044# US
+19292056099,,95481909044# US (New York)
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Have you reviewed guidance and other resources and still have questions about getting started and administering your local ARPA funds? For technical assistance, please contact your Upper Coastal Plain Council Of Governments. We are here to help!
Betsy Kane, Senior Regional Planner, phone 252-234-5902
email: bkane@ucpcog.org
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Electric Vehicles (EV) Advanced Manufacturing Careers: How NCWorks Career Centers can Help You | |
The Next NC Scholarships Expands Tuition Assistance for Students
North Carolina students from households making $80,000 or less could have their tuition and fees fully covered at any of the state’s 58 community colleges or more than half of, if not all, of their tuition and fees covered at any of North Carolina’s 16 public universities thanks to the new Next NC Scholarship.
Students attending a community college will receive at least $3,000. That’s more than the cost of full-time tuition, which means qualifying North Carolinians can choose from any of the 58 community colleges across the state and have all of their tuition and fees 100% covered.
Those attending a public university in North Carolina will get a minimum of $5,000. That pays for more than half, if not all, of tuition and fees at any of the 16 public universities in the state.
Students with the greatest need for financial aid could qualify for even more funding to help make paying for college more manageable.
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Attention, all job seekers! Join us for the ECC Job Fair on Friday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will be held in the Fleming Building on the Tarboro campus. For details, please contact deanss@edgecombe.edu or (252) 618-6537. | |
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Did you know that only 2.2% of plumbers, 2.3% of HVAC mechanics, 2.9% of electricians, and 3.1% of carpenters are women? In the larger picture, women represent only a small fraction of the skilled trades workforce.
She Built This City (SBTC), a non-profit housed out of Charlotte, North Carolina champions equity in the skilled trades through programming that sparks interest and builds pathways to careers in the skilled trades for youth, women, and underserved communities.
Read more about SBTC's work in the spotlight below!
https://www.linkedin.com/.../apprenticeshipnc_spotlight...
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March 31 is a Double Deadline
for People Eligible for Medicare
Advocates should be aware of two important opportunities with a March 31 deadline to make sure individuals eligible for Medicare have the right coverage for them:
- Medicare General Enrollment Period (GEP): January 1 – March 31
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP): January 1 – March 31
Read our Practice Tip for more information regarding these deadlines
Visit our website, which features tools to help you access the information you need to serve older adults in your community. We are in the process of updating our website, so stay tuned for new materials.
Request a Free Case Consultation
Case consultation assistance is available for attorneys and professionals seeking more information to help older adults. Contact NCLER at ConsultNCLER@acl.hhs.gov
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Let us know you'd like to build a ramp! | |
Loneliness and Social Isolation — Tips for Staying Connected from the National Institute on Aging
Everyone needs social connections to survive and thrive. Older adults who spend a lot of time alone may be vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation, which can have negative effects on their health and well-being. Engaging in meaningful, productive activities with others can help people stay healthy and be happier. Visit the National Institute on Aging for more information.
Loneliness and Social Isolation — Tips for Staying Connected | National Institute on Aging (nih.gov)
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Scams can happen to anyone — don’t be ashamed if you or someone you know has been a victim. Scammers are savvy and persuasive, and their scams are designed to catch people off guard. Some common scams aimed at older adults include:
- Government impersonator scams, such as someone posing as a Medicare representative asking for account information
- Fake prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scams, when you are asked to pay money or provide account information to claim a prize
- Computer tech support scams, where someone tells you your computer has a problem and asks you to pay to fix it over the phone
- The grandparent scam, in which the caller pretends to be a grandchild or other relative in distress
Scammers tend to target older adults since they are less likely to report suspected fraud. Learn about steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones from scams.
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The White House has released the first ever U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). The Playbook lays out an initial set of structural actions agencies are taking to support equitable health outcomes across communities. It also highlights the need for well-coordinated systems of health and social care to better address social needs that can impact health. | |
School of Government FY 23-24 Course Catalog
As the School of Government looks ahead to 2023-2024, we are pleased to release our updated course catalog.
The courses in this catalog focus on topics related to local government law, finance, management, administration, and leadership.
This catalog lists all scheduled courses at the time of its printing. Additional courses may be added throughout the year.
For up-to-date-information, view upcoming course opportunities online.
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Minority Participation Programs and Public Contracting
March 26-27, 2024 | Chapel Hill
8:00am-5:00pm | Course cost: $290
This course will examine federal and state laws that encourage participation in public contracts by historically underutilized businesses ("HUBs"), minority and women-owned business enterprises ("MWBEs"), and disadvantaged business enterprises ("DBEs").
What You'll Learn:
- Practical aspects of running a HUB/MWBE program
- Preparing for a disparity study
- Development of a HUB/MWBE plan
- Monitoring contractor compliance with HUB/MWBE requirements
- Following reporting requirements
- Building the capacity of HUB or MWBE firms
This course is sponsored by the North Carolina MWBE Coordinators Network.
Click here to view the course page and to register for the course
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April 3, 2024 | Online
1:00pm-5:00pm | Course Cost: $325
This course focuses on converting performance information into decisions that enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of local government purchasing and contracting departments. We will review performance management topics, including goal setting, measurement, analysis, decision-making, and best practices.
This course offers purchasing and contracting professionals the tools to use performance metrics to make evidence-based decisions in their organizations.
What You’ll Learn:
- An understanding of performance management in purchasing and contracting
- Connecting performance information with organizational strategy
- Performance data use for organizational learning and improvement
Click here to view the course page and to register for the course
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Contract Management in Local Government
May 15-17, 2024 | Chapel Hill
9:00am-12:15pm | Course Cost: $450
This course will address the management, networking, and legal aspects of contracting for North Carolina local governments. We will review several topics to broaden participants’ scope and understanding of public contracting issues. This course will equip public managers to appreciate various make-or-buy decision techniques, learn about management and legal challenges in contracting and how to mitigate them, identify various ways to design context-driven contracts and learn how to select, administer, and manage contracts. This course is developed for all local public officials at mid-career and supervisory levels.
What You'll Learn:
- Identify issues in the contracting decision-making process
- Identify various options for contract design
- Better understand contractor and vendor relationship management
- Better understand how to contract with nonprofit organizations
- Better administer, monitor, and assess contract efficacy
- Appreciate challenges and find solutions in public contracting
- Appreciate legal limitations in the contracting process
Click here to view the course page and to register for the course
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On-Demand Courses Available Now | Ethics and Newly Elected Leaders Bundle
Ethics for Elected Municipal Officials
The League's General Counsel Office has developed an online Ethics training for members that meets the state statutory requirements. This engaging, on-demand course offers insights into the laws and principles that govern conflicts of interest, ethical standards of conduct at the local government level, and provides enhanced issue-spotting analysis and reasoning skills.
Register Here
Want To Take Ethics As A Group?
The League is now offering the ability for members to take their Ethics training as a group. For example, if your full council would like to take the Ethics course together during a meeting, you can view it under one person's account, but each registered attendee present will receive credit. If you are interested, please email Grace Findley to make sure each participant receives full credit.
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Register for Rural Summit: Building A Vibrant Future
The Rural Summit is the NC Rural Center's annual conference and they would like you to join them. Each year, they think of the summit as the state's rural homecoming - a unique opportunity for local leaders and state partners to come together in conversation and celebration. The Rural Summit 2024 is taking place this year on March 20-21 at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley. The 2024 Rural Summit will bring together community leaders, policymakers, and rural allies from across the state and nation to engage in a thoughtful, intentional dialogue. They will have a special emphasis on sharing stories of success even while we know that challenges remain. These stories will all tie into the Framework for Community Economic Development that is the basis for their leadership training programs. They want everyone who attends to walk away with at least one example of how others are building a vibrant future for rural communities.
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121 W. Nash St. Wilson, NC 27893
252-234-5952
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