The Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved eight grant applications to local agencies totaling $1,650,000, Governor Roy Cooper announced last week. Two Hickory Metro companies are among the eight recipients. Last week we reported on a grant to Millerknoll in Hildebran.
The applications include commitments to create a total of 297 jobs, 56 of which were previously announced. Public investment in these projects will attract more than $234 million in public and private investment.
The RIA approved eight grant applications under the state’s Building Reuse Program in three categories. A $140,000 grant will support the reuse of a 13,000-square-foot building in Lenoir where Nutrameltz, a health and wellness brand specializing in high-quality nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs and nutraceuticals, plans to locate. The project is expected to create 18 jobs, with a private investment of $2,236,626 tied to this grant.
The RIA is supported by the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development team. RIA members review and approve funding requests from local communities. Funding is provided through a variety of specialized grant and loan programs. Grants support a range of activities, including infrastructure development, building rehabilitation, expansion and demolition, and site improvements.
