Summary (updated): The Buncombe County Commission voted unanimously to allocate funding for household assistance and for grants to small businesses to help retain and rehire employees.

The Facts: There were two items on the agenda for the Buncombe County Commission meeting on November 19th that we called attention to:

• A New Business item that would allocate funding $300,000 to Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church to facilitate a “household assistance” (e.g. rent/mortgage and utility support) program for those struggling economically post-Helene (presentation).
• A Public Hearing to allocate $1.5 million to a Mountain Bizworks program that will support small businesses in retaining or rehiring employees (presentation).

Our Assessment: We were encouraged by the County’s plans here. Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church has a strong reputation for operating with a racial equity lens. The Mountain Bizworks small business grant program names “BIPOC-owned businesses” as a focus area for this funding.

The Ask: We invited GAP supporters to email the Buncombe County Commission and ask them to vote in favor of both household assistance and small business grants.

Report Back

Both items were passed unanimously.

GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 16

Recipients and Responses:

Buncombe County 

• County Commissioner Brownie Newman: No response
• County Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara: No response
• County Commissioner Amanda Edwards: No response
• County Commissioner Martin Moore: No response
• County Commissioner Parker Sloane: No response
• County Commissioner Terri Wells: No response
• County Commissioner Al Whitesides: No response