One North Carolina Fund

The One North Carolina Fund is a discretionary grant program administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce on behalf of the Governor. It exists to help the state respond quickly when a company is deciding whether North Carolina can win a competitive job-creation project, and it sits alongside the state’s broader economic development incentive system. The program supports equipment purchases, building improvements, and utility infrastructure for manufacturing operations. Awards are released in 25% increments as jobs are created, and recipients must keep at least 90% of the new jobs for up to two years after the grant. Local matching funds are required, and the match burden varies by county tier: Tier 1 counties have the lightest requirement, while Tier 3 counties match dollar for dollar. Applicants succeed when the project is truly competitive with out-of-state alternatives, the wage profile meets county expectations, the local government is prepared to participate, and the employer can meet the health-insurance and compliance conditions that come with the award. The program is not built for early-stage startups; it is a site-selection tool for companies making a real location decision and needing state and local alignment to close it.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.