This page serves as a central hub for business resources in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. We will continue to update this list as new information becomes available. For additional updates and announcements regarding hurricane relief efforts, please follow us on Facebook.
Business Community Survey: Hurricane Helene Impact
We are currently gathering data from our business community to assess the impact of Hurricane Helene on local operations. Your participation in this survey is important, as the information collected will help us better understand the challenges you are facing and will guide our efforts to support recovery initiatives with local, state, and federal officials.
Please take a moment to complete the survey linked below. (February 2025 edition)
GRANTS AND RESOURCES
Mitchell County Development Foundation
The Mitchell County Development Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit entity and gifts to our efforts are tax-deductible.
Our post-hurricane rebuilding effort bring together a vibrant cross-section of our community focused on supporting all of Mitchell County. This includes community leaders, education leaders, and business leaders.
https://www.mitchellcountydevelopmentfoundation.org
| WNC Strong: Rebuilding Together Grants Register to be the first to know when grant rounds launch & keep updated on the latest news. https://18d88-2427d.icpage.net/wnc-strong-rebuilding-together-grants |
Dogwood Health Trust has invested a $10 million lead grant to create the Western North Carolina Small Business Initiative (WNCSBI), led by Appalachian Community Capital (ACC). The grant program offers immediate relief grants up to $25,000 to very small businesses in Dogwood’s 18 counties that experienced physical damage from the storm and have less than $1 million in annual revenue.
https://www.wncstrongtogether.org/grants#grants
ShopWNC website: Free resource to post business information on NC Secretary website
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Western North Carolina small businesses need us.
ShopWNC is a site created by the impacted WNC counties and is dedicated to helping to support our local communities and small businesses that have recently endured significant losses due to Hurricane Helene. The purpose of this site is to promote those communities and towns that are open to visitors or have online stores where you can show your support by purchasing from these businesses.
Grants for Artists and Creatives
NC Arts Council grants are now open including a special grant for WNC nonprofits impacted by Hurricane Helene.
In response to the losses sustained by the arts sector due to Hurricane Helene, the N.C. Arts Council has developed a grant category for nonprofit arts organizations located in the impacted region.
What can YOU use these funds for? ✦ Staff salaries ✦ Equipment replacement ✦ Costume & set repairs ✦ Audience rebuilding ✦ And MORE!
For more info about this and NCAC’s other grants go to: https://www.ncarts.org/grants-resources/grants
Artists’ Fellowship – emergency grants for professional visual fine artists
CERF+ Emergency Relief Grants – craft artist emergency relief grants
Diverse Books – emergency grants for writers
MusicCares – disaster relief grants for professional musicians
Grants for Food and Farm Businesses
ASAP Connections – grant and loan resources for farms
Information for Nonprofits
The Community Foundation’s Emergency and Disaster Response Fund
Tides Foundation Crisis Response Fund
United Way North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund
FEMA Assistance For Governments and Private Non Profits
The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund will help provide for immediate unmet needs through reimbursements to nonprofits working with disaster survivors. For immediate, unmet needs, the United Way of North Carolina will provide grants to nonprofits or reimburse nonprofits working in impacted communities. If sufficient donations are collected to support long-term recovery work, the North Carolina Community Foundation’s affiliate foundations and statewide grants committee will work to ensure that all donations are distributed to nonprofits that can best serve unmet needs in affected communities.
Certain nonprofit organizations assisting individuals and communities recovering from Hurricane Helene are eligible for funding. Eligible groups include any 501(c)(3) agency with a valid charitable solicitation license that is assisting Hurricane Helene-impacted communities with immediate needs.
https://www.unitedwaync.org/nc-disaster-relief-fund-helene
Emergency and Disaster Response Fund
Community Foundation of WNC
For Non Profits
EDRF is funding organizations providing emergency relief to those affected by Hurricane Helene.
As the needs are evolving, CFWNC is expanding the EDRF grant program. Nonprofits can apply for either:
- Grants up to $25,000 to be awarded to eligible organizations for frontline human services.
OR
- Grants up to $50,000 to (1) eligible organizations that sustained direct facility damage or (2) eligible organizations whose work addresses the effects of Hurricane Helene focused on repair and remediation.
For more information: https://cfwnc.org/grants/emergency-and-disaster-response-fund
Center for Disaster Philanthropy – WNC
Program Types Funded: Employment, Economic Development, Job Related and Business Grants, Housing, Shelter, Human Services – Multipurpose and Other
States: North Carolina
Counties: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey
The Center for Disaster Philanthropy has established the Truist Foundation Western North Carolina Recovery and Resiliency Fund, to address medium- and long-term needs to help strengthen the region’s housing and small businesses after the effects of Hurricane Helene.
Housing and Small Business
- Housing repair and risk mitigation from extended displacement or homelessness for low-income and other populations.
- Disaster navigation services specific to housing and small business recovery, including specialized support to manage the complexity of accessing resources equitably.
- The unique and unmet needs of rural and other marginalized communities that are not receiving the level of attention or support that larger towns and cities receive.
- Housing justice, including preventing post-disaster gentrification and the post-disaster displacement cycle that typically follow disasters, especially in tourism-heavy economies.
Resiliency Support for Thriving and Sustainable Communities
- Trauma-informed care for the people most frequently affected by disasters in these areas, as well as for those organizations charged with supporting recovery.
- Legal services that allow survivors to access the full range of recovery services offered.
- Replacement of critical infrastructure, especially those considered private or not maintained by government entities, to ensure rural and other underserved communities can access services and recovery organizations can access those most in need.
Eligibility
- 501(c)(3) organizations or fiscal sponsors and fiscal agents on behalf of non-501(c)(3) organizations
- Based in North Carolina or demonstrated affiliation or partnership and ongoing work in North Carolina
- Ability to provide due diligence documentation
Deadline
Unsolicited applications are not accepted. However, interest forms are being accepted from organizations fitting the criteria in the guidelines. A deadline has not been noted. The deadline in Grant Gopher is for tracking purposes only, and interested applicants should not wait to submit an interest form.
Contact:
Maximum Grant: not specified
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Guidelines and Application:https://disasterphilanthropy.org/funds/truistfoundation/
T-Mobile Grant for Small Towns
Main Street America and Smart Growth America have partnered with T‑Mobile to help build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. With T‑Mobile’s Hometown Grant program, they’re investing big in small towns by awarding up to 100 towns a year with project funding — up to $50,000 each.
https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/hometown-grants
Business Loans
US Small Business Administration Disaster Assistance Information
The following resources were shared with us on 10/10/24.
MAY Coalition fulfills its mission by providing:
- low interest loans to business owners in these counties for the purpose of creating employment opportunities for residents.
- capital for low to moderate income business owners to be used as an investment to enhance the owner’s income.
Resources from LegalAid of North Carolina
LegalAid Resources
Hurricane Helene Insurance Best Practices | Granite Insurance, Nathaniel Johnson
Granite Insurance Best Practices
Mortgage Resources
If storm damage and business disruption has you worried about paying your mortgage, there are several forms of assistance available.
Homeowners with conventional mortgages should contact their loan servicer as soon as possible to see if they are eligible for mortgage forbearance.
Homeowners with FHA loans may be eligible for a foreclosure moratorium and forbearance.
HUD offers free foreclosure prevention counseling, no matter what kind of mortgage you have.
Homeowners with FHA loans may be eligible for a foreclosure moratorium and forbearance.
HUD offers free foreclosure prevention counseling,, no matter what kind of mortgage you have.
NC Department of Commerce
WNC Disaster Recovery Newsletter
WNC Disaster Newsletter includes a message from NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center, a message from Appalachian Regional Commission, and a disaster recovery resource list.
E
N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Hotline to connect farmers with resources that can assist with damage and other agricultural emergencies related to the storm. The toll-free number is 1-866-645-9403. A live operator will be available on the hotline 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Farmers can also find recovery resources here.
Small Business Administration Disaster Loan – provides low interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters, businesses, and non-profits. There are two types of SBA disaster loans: 1) physical disaster loans of up to $2 million to cover businesses uninsured or underinsured losses and 2) economic injury disaster loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations. More information at: https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance. Please note: SBA is accepting and reviewing disaster loan applications; however, new loan offers will be delayed due to a lapse in Congressional funding. Submitting your application is still encouraged.
ReadyNC.gov
Resources for before, during and after a storm, including updated weather and road conditions.
NC 211
NC 211 is an information and referral service provided by United Way of North Carolina. Families and individuals can call 2-1-1 or 1-888-892-1162 to receive free and confidential information on health and human services within their community.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Answers questions about the status and operations of financial institutions. Offers advice on cybersecurity, avoiding scams, and how to financially recover from disasters.
- Natural Disaster Impact on Bank Customers and Operations
- Natural Disaster Impact: Advice for Consumers and Business Owners
- Money Smart for Adults
Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
State and federal resources for small businesses, including grants and loans, links to power and internet companies, how to make donations and other business-related information.
Emergency Prescription Assistance Program
Helps people in a federally identified disaster area who do not have health insurance to access prescription drugs, vaccinations, medical supplies, and equipment. Find out which pharmacy near you is open online with this map.
If Needed, File an Unemployment Insurance (UI) Claim.
If you are not eligible for UI benefits, the business owner and/or employee may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is a federal program that provides temporary payments to people in a federally declared disaster area whose employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of the disaster. Business owners that are self-employed, a farmer, or a commercial fisherman, who is unemployed as a direct result of the disaster may be eligible.
Additional Business Support Resources
Steps To Business Recovery – NC SBTDC
https://www.ncsbc.net/DocumentMaster.aspx?doc=7547
https://www.commerce.nc.gov/grants-incentives/disaster-recovery
https://www.mountainbizworks.org/helene
NC Department of Commerce Disaster Recovery Newsletter
FEMA Helpline: CALL 1-800-621-3362