Fresh disaster relief funding is on the way for the Asheville small business community. The $14.6M Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grant Program will invest in recovery for eligible, Helene-impacted businesses to help them more fully recover and bring jobs back to the City. Applications will be accepted from June 15, 2026 at noon through…
Today, Mountain BizWorks released the 2024–2025 Impact Report for its WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund. It offers an in-depth look at how $59.6 million in rapid, flexible capital protected 7,069 jobs and reached 852 businesses across 29 Western North Carolina counties. The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund launched October 7, 2024, just 10…
January 27, 2026, the Asheville City Council approved the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Small Business Support Program subrecipients, including Mountain BizWorks. This means $15.5 million in direct grant funding is on the way for Asheville small businesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. Mountain BizWorks will partner with ArtsAVL and Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation to administer allocated funds through a…
We have big news to share as the year comes to an end. Between loans already funded and the final few that have been approved for funding in the coming days, The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund is now fully deployed. The program is also now closed to new applications. Launched just 10 days after the storm hit,…
This November, Mountain BizWorks distributed $1.29 million in WNC Strong: Recover Forward Grants in support of small business recovery across Western North Carolina. These local business grants will support 73 local businesses and more than 500 jobs in communities hardest hit by Hurricane Helene. This work has been made possible through generous funding from the…
The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) approved more flexible relief terms for the WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund, extending the one-percent interest rate and interest-only payment window from 12 to 24 months along with other supportive modifications. The Fund, administered by Mountain BizWorks, totals over $60 million with support from the State of North…
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