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Alexander County Receives Grant From Duke Energy

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Left to right: David Icenhour, EDC Executive Director; Connie Kincaid, EDC Business Development Manager; Robin Nicholson, Duke Energy District Manager for Government and Community Relations; and Rick French, County Manager.

September 30, 2021 — The Duke Energy Foundation distributed $750,000 in grants to help local businesses across North Carolina – from restaurants to retailers – adapt to the unprecedented challenges caused by the pandemic. The Alexander County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) was one of 30 recipients of a $25,000 Hometown Revitalization Grant.

The total represents a 50 percent increase over the $500,000 in funding announced in April due to the breadth and quality of the funding applications. As a result, the Hometown Revitalization Grant program will now support 30 communities throughout the state rather than the original 20 planned at the program’s inception.

“After our success in supporting the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, which was the model for this program, we knew that a series of targeted grants could do wonders to help North Carolina businesses and storefronts recover,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We were astounded by the number and quality of the applications, so we decided to increase the foundation’s commitment and help even more downtown communities bounce back.”

Each community was awarded $25,000 through a partnership with these local 501(c)(3)-administering nonprofits. The administering entity will establish a small-business support microgrant program to deploy the funding within their local community. Microgrants may range from $500 to $2,500 per individual business.

“The Duke Energy Hometown Revitalization Grant couldn’t come at a better time. With the economic conditions resulting from the pandemic, these funds will help those who need it most,” said David Icenhour, Executive Director of the Alexander County EDC. “The Duke Energy grant will go a long way in helping our small businesses recover. We look forward to disbursing these funds and seeing the benefits that result.”

Small businesses in Alexander County (50 employees or less) which have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible to apply for the grant. Applications must be received by October 22, 2021. Awards will be announced on November 3, 2021. For additional details and access to the grant application, visit www.bitly.com/hometown-revitalization-grant.