Small businesses still climbing back from Hurricane Helene just got some breathing room. On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Governor Josh Stein signed House Bill 268 into law, extending the 1% low-rate window on WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund loans by another six months. The WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund* was launched ten days…
The 2026 Local Business Impact Survey found 3 out of 4 small businesses are still earning at or below pre-Helene revenue. Yet, two years after Hurricane Helene, the entrepreneurs of Western North Carolina are doing what they do best: building businesses, creating opportunity, and strengthening the communities they call home. Entrepreneurs have demonstrated remarkable resilience…
The Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grants Program application window closed Tuesday, July 14 at noon. Businesses across Asheville submitted 772 applications. They collectively requested more than $42.4 million in recovery funding, providing evidence of Helene-related loss and plans for robust recovery. The program will distribute grants of $5,000 to $75,000 to help small businesses…
With two weeks remaining before the application deadline, small businesses have until noon July 14, 2026 to apply for awards of $5,000 to $75,000 available to aid in recovery efforts. The $14.6 million Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grants Program represents one of the most concentrated business recovery opportunities to date, with more than triple…
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…
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