The North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) on May 12 reported that its Build Ready Sites Program for rail-served industrial development will now have two application rounds in a single year, with up to $3 million in grants available in each round.
The spring 2025 application round opened May 12 and will run through June 13; the fall 2025 round is scheduled for September.
Since the Build Ready Sites Program’s inception in 2021, NCRR has awarded more than $9.3 million in private grants to 17 counties across the state, creating more than 3,500 “build-ready” acres.
Any potential rail-served site can apply for up to $500,000 per project, with up to $750,000 available for sites along the 317 miles of rail corridor that NCRR manages. According to NCRR, the grant initiative “prioritizes proposals from rural and economically distressed communities and requires sites to be at least 50 contiguous developable acres located within half a mile of potential rail service.”
Eligible projects must also demonstrate community support, provide a 20% match and have service confirmation from the serving railroad, NCRR noted.
In the 2024 Build Ready Sites grant round, NCRR awarded $500,000 each to:
- Anson County to clear and grade the 78-acre Atlantic Gateway Logistics Park. NCRR partnered with Anson Economic Development Corporation, Pee Dee Electric, North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives and North Carolina’s Southeast on this project.
- Guilford County for water and sewer extensions at the 115-acre Southeast 85 PowerPlex site, addressing increased water and sewer demands crucial for industrial recruitment.
- Randolph County for water and sewer extensions on a 67-acre site. NCRR collaborated with Norfolk Southern and Randolph County Economic Development Corporation on this development.
“Primed industrial sites are a critical component of North Carolina’s infrastructure for supporting business recruitment and expansion,” NCRR President and Carl Warren said. “The expansion of our Build Ready Sites program aligns with increasing demand for domestic manufacturing capacity and provides communities with a strategic asset to facilitate timely project development.”
Further Reading:
- NCRR Injecting $400K into Rail-Served Facility Expansion Project
- NCRR Options Program Aims to Boost Industrial Site Readiness
- NCRR, NC State Team on Grade Crossing Safety Training
- NCRR Launches $10MM Disaster Recovery Program
- Rail-Served Sodium-Ion Battery Plant Coming to North Carolina
- NCRR, Terracon Team on Wetland Mitigation Program
