07/28/2026
Promises made, promises kept. President Trump is delivering on his promise to help American communities rebuild following back-to-back storms in 2024.
Yesterday, of Commerce Deputy Secretary Paul Dabbar, alongside EDA Deputy Assistant Secretary Ben Page, announced more than $34 million in grants to support disaster recovery in western North Carolina. Dabbar and Page traveled to Asheville to formally announce 7 EDA grants that will tackle critical issues such as the transition to a manufacturing economy, workforce training, and infrastructure renovation.
Before the announcement, EDA hosted a roundtable to discuss the region’s current needs and ongoing efforts to increase workforce training opportunities and update infrastructure to better withstand future storms and serve new industries. These changes are allowing the region to creatively pivot away from solely focusing on tourism to now investing in other industries like manufacturing. This economic diversification will help ensure western North Carolina’s economic recovery and future prosperity, while advancing the Administration’s goal of bringing high-paying, skilled manufacturing jobs to American workers.
See our press release for more information about the grants: https://www.eda.gov/news/press-release/2026/07/27/us-department-commerce-announces-342-million-disaster-recovery-awards