Staff are available to assist counties with claiming their Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund allocation from the Treasury Department, maintaining compliance with these funds, and completing all mandatory reports.

Much of the funding stemming from the American Rescue Plan Act is available in the form of competitive grants at the federal and state level. Staff proactively monitor grant programs and notify local governments of funding opportunities. They also advise local governments on funding fits and assist them with developing and submitting competitive applications. Frequent funding agencies include:

• NC Department of Commerce (economic & community development)
• NC Department of Environmental Quality (water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure)
• NC Department of Information Technology (broadband expansion)
• NC Department of Public Safety (emergency management & hazard mitigation)
• Dogwood Health Trust (funds a variety of programs in Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties)

The State of North Carolina has prioritized efforts to build disaster recovery capacity among local governments, particularly as it relates to management of recovery funds. To that end, the General Assembly provided a grant to the North Carolina Association of Regional Councils of Governments to provide financial training and conduct activities to build regional and local capacity. The Association disseminated these funds to the sixteen Councils of Government across the state to oversee capacity building in their service area. High Country COG is using this funding to build capacity in several ways, including:

• Training for local government staff on proper financial management of disaster recovery funds. An online, self-paced version of this training is available for free. Please click this link to access the training and enroll in the course.
• Assisting communities with identifying potential projects and submitting applications for grants designed to increase resiliency and hazard mitigation.
• Assisting local governments with administration and oversight of awarded FEMA funding.
• Developing the High Country Regional Resilience & Disaster Recovery Web Application. This interactive online map application allows users to explore data layers showing critical facilities, transportation infrastructure, hazards, and measures of vulnerability and resiliency across the High Country region.
• Developing Emergency Operations Plans for all seven High Country Counties, along with a handful of Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessments (THIRAs) and a Continuity of Operations Plan. These documents were developed at no cost to the communities.
• Coordinating meetings related to hazard mitigation and resiliency.
• Assisting local governments with adopting or updating stormwater regulations.
• Mapping stormwater networks for small municipalities.

The American Rescue Plan Act and associated funding offers a generational opportunity for local governments to address long-standing needs and facilitate economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Building long-term resiliency, however, requires thoughtful planning and assessment. COG staff are available to provide technical assistance and planning services to increase regional and local resilience, primarily focused on:

• Local government financial sustainability & sound management practices
• Proactive maintenance of infrastructure
• Environmental sustainability
• Sound land use plans & regulations
• Community development & livability
• Economic development