NCLM Volume 70, Issue 4, 2020

NCLM.ORG 37 As highlighted by the League through- out 2020, our municipalities’ access to pandemic relief has been, at best, limited. Neither federal nor state lawmakers have directly appropriated funds to munici- palities. CARES Act money has trickled through in many cases, but in small amounts and only by way of counties and other indirect measures. When received, however, it makes a difference. Talk of the Towns this issue shows how cities and towns support their communities and local economies at every turn. This recap is an appreciation of those efforts, towards all municipalities—from the small mountain towns, to the tourism hubs on the coast to the metropolitan centers highlighted below. As a response to COVID-19, the City of Charlotte launched Open For Business, a local initiative that connects businesses with resources, information, strategies and grants to help them not just survive, but innovate through the pandemic. “This new normal has taken a harsher toll on small business owners,” the initiative’s website reads. “We’ve seen it first-hand as some of our most cherished small busi- nesses have struggled to survive… Open for Business is about showcasing our col- lective strengths: the grit of our small busi- ness community paired with the resources and connections of our institutions.” Results can be seen on the ground. In Sep- tember, the City of Charlotte announced the Food Service Recovery Grant Program, which provided $4 million to qualifying local businesses in the food and beverage industry that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also this fall, the city allocated $2.5 Million in CARES Act fund- ing for Workforce Partner Support Grants. These were designed to address Char- lotte’s growing unemployment rate caused by COVID-19, and provided the resources needed to increase capacity of the local workforce, boost development programs, and support career and job placement assistance resources. Several other financial resources have been established as well, such as the Thrive Hiring Grant Program geared towards workforce development and the $1.5 million Small Business Innovation Fund. In Raleigh , the city acted early and cre- ated the Raleigh Small Business Relief Fund in May. The city council approved $1 million to the fund, and more than 150 small businesses were funded. “Raleigh is home to more than 33,000 small busi- nesses, making them a significant force in our local economy,” said Mayor Mary- Ann Baldwin. “The creativity, innovation, and unique niches they fulfill contribute tremendously to our City and the quality of life we enjoy.” Durham launched a similar program, partnering with Duke University, Durham County and the Carolina Small Business Development Fund to establish the Durham Small Business Recovery Fund. The program provides roughly $1 million in grants and $2 million in loans to small businesses adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like Durham, the City of Greensboro leaned on partnerships to get relief funds into the community. Working with the United Way of Greater Greensboro, they created the Greensboro Virus Relief Taskforce, led by both city and nonprofit leaders. As of October 8, the taskforce had distributed $2.4 million towards local nonprofits. Each funding cycle was able to address individual areas of concern, too— the most recent being housing vulnerabil- ity, such as rental assistance and homeless shelters. Gastonia followed a similar route, part- nering with United Way of Gaston County on the Gaston County Virus Relief Fund, which has accumulated more than $500,000. Fayetteville announced in July a service to assist community members with rent, utili- ties and mortgage payments as a response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Citizens were eligible to receive up to $2,000 towards those expenses. Nearly $1 million of grant funding was awarded. Talk of Our Towns This issue shows how cities and towns support their communities and local economies at every turn . This recap is an appreciation of those efforts, towards all municipalities— from the small mountain towns, to the tourism hubs on the coast to the metropolitan centers . “Raleigh is home to more than 33,000 small businesses, making them a significant force in our local economy,” said Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin. “ The creativity, innovation, and unique niches they fulfill contribute tremendously to our City and the quality of life we enjoy .” » Mary-Ann Baldwin , Raleigh Mayor Photo Credit: Shutterstock. continues on page 38