Strategy in Action

The Asheville-Buncombe Rebuilding Together Grant program was created in response to Hurricane Helene through a partnership between the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Asheville, and a CDFI called Mountain BizWorks. It was supported by funding from hundreds of local, regional, and national donors. The program focuses on Buncombe County small businesses that have the least ability to recover without additional support and provides direct grants of up to $25,000 to cover the expenses of clean-up efforts, replacing lost inventory, temporary potable water solutions, and payroll.

It prioritizes locally owned small businesses in neighborhoods that experienced the most severe flooding; those that are located in more remote areas where it was harder to receive aid; those who have not accessed other aid programs; and businesses with insurance policies that do not fully cover disaster-related damages.The majority of grant recipients used the program to retain and rehire employees. With one round of funding completed as of December of 2024, the program is planning for an additional round of grants. BIPOC small business owners made up 21% of grant applicants and 19% of awardees in 2024.