Grants

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Dare County's Grants & Waterways office is responsible for identifying and applying for grants from federal, state and other sources in order to fund various projects within Dare County.

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding to local governments so they can rebuild in a way that reduces or mitigates future disaster losses in the community. This grant funding becomes available following a federally declared disaster. Residents who are interested in elevating their homes are encouraged to contact the Grants & Waterways office, which maintains a database to ensure the County is aware of existing needs during future grant application cycles.

Homeowners may also contact the N.C. Office of Recovery & Resiliency (NCORR). The Homeowner Recovery Program provides assistance to repair, reconstruct, replace, or elevate your home or reimburse you for completed repairs due to damage from Hurricane Florence or Hurricane Matthew. Eligibility and application information can be found by visiting ReBUILD NC.

For more information on the types of hazard mitigation grants that are available, visit the North Carolina Department of Public Safety or FEMA.

For more information about recent grants that Dare County has recently received, see the information below.

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant

In August 2021, Dare County received a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant of more than $6 million to improve disaster resilience by elevating 27 flood-prone homes throughout the county. This FEMA funding became available as a result of Hurricane Florence being declared a federal disaster.

The homes raised with this grant are located in Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head, Manteo, Manns Harbor, Stumpy Point and Wanchese, as well as Rodanthe, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village.

In December 2023, Dare County received more than $5 million for the elevation of 31 homes as a result of Hurricane Dorian. These houses are located in various areas throughout Dare County, including Kitty Hawk, Manteo, Wanchese, Stumpy Point, Manns Harbor, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras.

Disaster Relief & Mitigation Fund

FEMA FMA Grant - Stormwater Master Plan

Dare County has received a $150,000 FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance grant that will be used to update the county’s Stormwater Master Plan. This master plan serves as an outline of our stormwater management policies in unincorporated Dare County and allows the county to evaluate drainage issues and develop a capital improvement plan to address stormwater issues. The grant also provides the funding needed to identify and map the county’s stormwater infrastructure, and to have an engineer develop two project designs (or site plans) for critical areas.

Once the designs, narrative and costs for these two projects have been determined, the county will apply for construction grants that would be used to complete the projects. The county has selected the engineering firm of WithersRavenel to update the Stormwater Master Plan.

Due to file size, please contact Barton Grover, Grants & Waterways Administrator at barton.grover@darenc.gov for appendices.

Dare County Stormwater Master Plan

Resilient Coastal Communities Program

In March 2021, Dare County was one of 25 coastal communities that received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management. This financial assistance from the state was used by the county to perform a risk and vulnerability assessment of Hatteras Island—as well as to develop a portfolio of planned and prioritized projects.

Dare County used a portion of this grant money to develop and disseminate the “Dare County Resilient Coastal Communities Program Questionnaire,” which was sent out in November 2021. Residents of Hatteras Island were encouraged to use this survey to share their input and insight on this questionnaire, and more than 1,100 responses were received. The results that were gathered will be used to help identify, design and implement resilience projects that will address coastal hazards on Hatteras Island such as erosion, flooding and storm surge.

The Final Report from Phase 1 & 2 of the RCCP can be found below.

In July 2022, Dare County was awarded $45,000 in Phase 3 funding for the design and engineering of stormwater improvements in Hatteras Village and Buxton. The proposed project area can be seen on the attached map.

In July 2024, Dare County was awarded $160,000 in Phase 4 funding to construct bioswales in Hatteras Village and $234,000 in Phase 3 funding to cover engineering, surveys, and a drainage study in the Village of Salvo.

Golden LEAF Flood Mitigation Program

DCM Planning & Management Grant

Dare County received a $24,000 grant from the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management Planning & Management Grant Program.

The proposed project will determine how much sand would be needed to build a beach that provides adequate storm protection to the exposed interests. The County will partner in this effort with a consultant to update results of a 2013 feasibility report presenting similar analysis of beach conditions and options for future nourishment in Rodanthe.

The proposed work consists of re-establishing control and stations for a systematic survey along the Rodanthe beach. Topographic and bathymetric data will be used to determine the minimum beach volume necessary for 5 years of storm protection along critically eroded areas where private property and/or infrastructure are exposed to wave attack during high water events. This time frame is based upon Dare County’s internal funding models for beach nourishment cycle planning in concert with their ongoing beach management efforts.

This work is preliminary to a more complete analysis and design/permitting effort for future nourishment as part of a 30-year design life project, by documenting historic and projected volumetric losses, anticipated maintenance triggers, and long-term sand needs for critically eroded portions of Rodanthe.

Final Report