Duke Energy Resilience Accelerator Grant Program

Ten organizations in North Carolina will collectively receive more than $600,000 in resilience accelerator grants from the Duke Energy Foundation. The grant funding will support the RISE Regional Resilience Portfolio Program by supporting the implementation of priority projects identified in each of the nine RISE regional portfolios. The grant program will allow each region to kick-start all or part of a project. This conclusion of the RISE program fulfilled the needs of communities to identify and prioritize resilience projects to the point of being shovel-ready so they can receive funding. Read on for project details about how each RISE region will use their grant funding.

Albemarle: Stormwater, Water Quality and Flooding Outreach Toolkit

Develop a tool kit of customizable stormwater, water quality and flooding outreach for 10 member counties.

The Albemarle Commission will coordinate the development of an outreach toolkit of customizable templates to provide hazard preparedness messaging to the Albemarle regions’ member communities.

Cape Fear: Community-Government Resilience Collaboration Center

Expand work of established community organization serving historically underserved communities with disaster mitigation and recovery assistance.

Eastern Carolina: Beneficial Reuse of Acquired Properties for Goldsboro

Reuse of city-owned property acquired through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program as an outdoor classroom for education and leadership training.

Kerr-Tar: Regional Building Inventory Development and Analysis

Establish commercial and industrial building inventory, including analysis of climate hazard impacts and risk reduction improvements.

Lumber River: Lumbee Cultural Center Wetland Restoration Project

Develop plan for wetland restoration project on Native American cultural center property that routinely floods.

Mid-Carolina: Stream Gauge and Early Notification Sensor Installation

Install stream gauges and sensors at six locations to help improve flood warning and forecasting in repeatedly flooded areas.

Mid-East: Planning and Engineering Design for Parkers Creek

Plan and design wetland and floodplain restoration to reduce flooding along Parker Creek.

Mid-East: Latino-Focused Regional Hazard Information Sharing Partnership

Expand Latino-focused information-sharing partnerships to ensure equitable access to hazard preparedness and response information.

Central Pines: Planning for a River Warning System and Evaluating Backup Power Needs

Plan and implement a Haw River warning system and evaluate backup power needs for emergency shelter facilities.

Upper Coastal Plain: Flood-Resilient Roadways for Critical Facilities Study

Create flood resiliency by developing a benefit-cost analysis and hydrologic and hydraulic study of routinely flooded access points that include access to an emergency communications tower and residential neighborhood.