NC halts business grant applications as lawmakers mull program expansion

The North Carolina Department of Revenue on Tuesday announced it would temporarily stop considering new applications for its Business Recovery Grant Program.

The grants provide one-time payments to help thousands of eligible businesses that suffered an economic loss of at least 20 percent during the Covid-19 pandemic. Department officials said they want to wait for more guidance from state lawmakers on a possible expansion to the program before they evaluate additional applications.

The budget Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper signed in November set aside $500 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to implement the initiative.

Businesses that filed before an initial application period that ended Jan. 31 will continue to have their requests processed.