Greenwich Development Group Articles and Resources

North Carolina Green Business Fund

The North Carolina Green Business Fund, created in 2007, provides funding to North Carolina small and mid-size businesses, nonprofit organizations, state agencies and local governments to encourage the development and commercialization of "promising" renewable energy and green building technologies. Grants of up to $100,000 are available for the development of commercial innovations and applications in the biofuels industry, sustainable building practices and private sector investment in renewable energy technologies. North Carolina-based businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 100 employees, as well as state and local governmental entities, are generally eligible.  
 
Grants in the green building sector may be awarded for innovation in areas of installation, certification or distribution of green building materials; energy audits; workforce development; and marketing and sales. For private sector investment in clean technologies, grants may target renewable energy deployment, biomass energy projects, waste reclamation for energy, implementation of energy efficiency technologies and clean distributed generation infrastructure improvements. Grants are also available for the development, production and distribution of biofuels in North Carolina.  
 
The 2008-2009 funding round had a total of $950,000. The fund was greatly expanded by SB 202 of 2009 using money allocated to the state by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, increasing the fund amount to $5 million for the 2009-2010 fiscal year. The funding round for the 2008-2009 is complete and awardees will be notified. More information about the 2009-2010 solicitation will be made available at the website above as the details are finalized.

Local Governments and Nonprofits

The North Carolina Housing Finance Agency provides financing to local governments and nonprofit organizations to build or rehabilitate affordable housing for low-wealth North Carolinians. 

Homeownership Production Programs include the New Homes Loan Pool, the Self-Help Loan Pool, and the IDA Loan Pool. Program participants marketing high-performance homes can also benefit from the SystemVision energy guarantee option.

Home Rehabilitation and Repair Programs include Single-Family Rehabilitation Program, the Urgent Repair Program, and the Duke Home Energy Loan Program.

The Supportive Housing Development Program provides funding for emergency, transitional and permanent housing for persons who are homeless and/or have disabilities.

The N.C. Housing Finance Agency also creates affordable housing opportunities through its Rental Housing Production Program and mortgages for first-time home buyers.

In addition, the Agency provides training and technical assistance for fundees, training for housing counselors on Reverse Mortgages and Predatory Lending, and assistance for nonprofit organizations seeking certification as community housing development organizations (CHDOs).