The Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant Fund is designed to provide direct grant awards to small businesses in the City of Asheville and Buncombe County that have been severely impacted by Hurricane Helene. Businesses may apply for a grant up to $25,000 to support recovery expenses not covered by insurance or other funding sources.

Awardees must be able to provide receipts or other documentation for all expenses, and grants will generally be disbursed on a reimbursement basis unless there is a clear need for a funding advance. The grants will support a range of costs to help rebuild and reopen such as clean-up, replacing lost inventory, temporary water solutions, payroll, and more. The Fund aims to help rebuild and restore the region’s unique and diverse local business community and retain & re-hire the talented people who work at these businesses.

The Fund is supported by a collaborative of public and private partners that are committed to helping our local businesses recover. Initial funding exceeds $1.3 million and has been provided by City of Asheville ($704,070), and the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce ($500,000) and Mountain BizWorks ($125,000) fundraising efforts which include many contributors from WNC and beyond. The partners recognize the need far surpasses the initial funding level and each are working to secure additional support.

There is no annual revenue threshold for this grant but businesses must have no more than 200 employees. Full eligibility criteria are available below. Priority will be given to the most impacted areas and companies, and will prioritize independent small business owners who lack access to other available funding resources. Awards are expected to be distributed in multiple rounds.