Rural business development grants - disaster (rbdg e disaster) grants

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, through its Office of Sponsored Research, received a $199,950 Rural Business Development Grant–Disaster (RBDG-E Disaster) award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Cooperative Services (CFDA 10.351) on September 22, 2025, with a completion date of September 22, 2027. This Project Grant supports sustainable economic development and job creation initiatives in rural North Carolina communities affected by disaster, consistent with the program's mandate to facilitate small and emerging private business development in economically disadvantaged areas.

The award funds technical assistance and capital support services to eligible intermediary organizations and government entities serving rural small businesses with 50 or fewer new employees and less than $1 million in projected gross revenue. As a prime recipient, UNC-CH's Office of Sponsored Research will administer grant activities focused on disaster recovery economic development priorities, including job preservation and creation in rural communities with high unemployment or significant low-income populations. The two-year funding period aligns with typical Rural Business Development Grant timelines for comprehensive business development assistance delivery.