RALEIGH: The Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) distributed more than $330 million in directed grants to local governments and community organizations in the last 10 days. More than 170 entities across North Carolina received funds in this first round of grant disbursements. 

“These grant funds will help local communities invest in projects that can improve the lives of those they serve,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “I expect to see great work from our partners in local government and the nonprofit sector as these projects move forward.”

Projects included in this first round of grant disbursements include vital community improvements like:

• $14 million for repairs to the Boiling Springs Dam in the Boiling Spring Lakes

• $7.5 million to construct a state‐of‐the‐art fire emergency services training center on the Catawba River at Western Piedmont Community College

• $5 million for a new Law Enforcement Center in Mitchell County

• $3.8 million to modernize the Madison County Courthouse in Marshall

• $1.2 million for improvements to the Brunswick Riverwalk Park in Belville

The state budget contained more than 900 Directed Grants of which over 640 are being administered by the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM). The agency expects to distribute more than $1.4 billion in directed grants over the next 12 months.

This is largely a new grant program, leading OSBM to set up a website and training webinars for the directed grant recipients to help them meet state grant requirements and receive their grant funds as quickly possible.

A database of the Directed Grants included in the 2021 Appropriations Act, as amended by S.L. 2021-189, and more information on the SCIF Directed Grants are available on the OSBM website. Information on grants disbursed can be found here.

OSBM is an agency within the Governor’s Office responsible for administering the state budget and providing objective information and analysis to ensure effective stewardship of public resources.