News & Media

North Carolina Launches Program to Help Small Businesses Disproportionately Harmed by COVID-19

North Carolina minority and women-owned businesses hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic will have access to guidance and $12 million in grants to help them weather the crisis, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The North Carolina Department of Administration has launched a new grant program, RETOOLNC, to help North Carolina Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms impacted by COVID-19.

RETOOLNC was created under Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 143 to address disparities in communities of color exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.  To learn more about the RETOOLNC initiative, visit the NC HUB Office website.

Additional resources for small businesses impacted by the pandemic are available through the NC Department of Commerce. For example, businesses that experienced extraordinary disruption and were unable to open due to COVID-19 may be able to get assistance through the Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief (MURR) Program at www.nccommerce.com/murr. Experienced business counselors at Business Link North Carolina are also available to offer guidance at (800) 228-8443.