CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gov. Roy Cooper approved 10 grant requests or rural communities across North Carolina has part of an initiative that will attract hundreds of jobs and over $80 million in investment across the state.
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved more than $2 million in funding with these grants, which will be awarded to local governments for various projects. According to Cooper's office, these requests include a commitment to create a total of 316 jobs and will attract approximately $83 million in private investment for these communities.
“These grants both rejuvenate and strengthen rural North Carolina,” Cooper said. “When we support local businesses and expand rural infrastructure, we boost the local, regional, and state economies and help increase our economic competitiveness from the mountains to the sea.”
Among the projects is a $50,000 grant to support the reuse of a 12,000-square-foot building in Newton. This building will house the second location of Backstreets Bar and Grill, which has been a staple in the Hickory area for nearly three decades. The company has pledged to create 10 new jobs and invest $2.49 million in the project.
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Cleveland County received a $250,000 grant to repurpose a 300,000-square-foot building in Lawndale for a renewable energy company. That project is expected to create 34 new jobs an private investment of nearly $950,000.
The city of Morganton will be awarded $200,000 to renovate the Chaddock Furniture building. The manufacturer, which has been open since 1958, expects to create 25 new jobs and invest over $950,000 in the project.
Mount Holly-based Boxman Studios, which designs and builds facilities for clients like Sonic, Arby's and Dunkin' Donuts, will create 68 new jobs and invest over $300,000 as part of a $350,000 grant awarded to Gaston County.
A separate $230,000 grant in Gaston County will support the expansion of Connor Brothers Machine, Inc., in Bessemer City. The company expects to add 31 new jobs with an investment of $46 million. Connor brothers is a precision machine and fabrication company that produces custom parts for manufacturing equipment.
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