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Senior Tar Heel Volunteer Opportunities
Do you know an individual age 60 and over who is looking for a volunteer opportunity to advocate for older adults in North Carolina? Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging is looking for individuals to volunteer to be a Senior Tar Heel Legislature (STHL) member. STHL members provide information to senior citizens on the legislative process and matters being considered by the North Carolina General Assembly. They promote citizen involvement and advocacy concerning aging issues before the North Carolina General Assembly and assess the legislative needs of older citizens by convening a forum modeled after the North Carolina General Assembly.
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Regional Aging Advisory Committee Opportunities
Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency on Aging is seeking volunteers for their Regional Aging Advisory Committee (RAAC). The purpose of the RAAC is to act in an advisory capacity to the ECCAAA on all matters relating to the development of plans, programs, and services for persons sixty years of age and older in Region P and otherwise assure compliance with the Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended. RAAC shall also serve as advocates for individuals over age 60, caregivers, and persons with disabilities throughout the region.
For further information on regional opportunities click here
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Planning Board Training
On February 27th, ECC Senior Community Planner Carlton Gideon provided a training workshop for the Town of Greenevers Planning Board and Board of Commissioners. Topics included the roles and responsibilities of the Planning Board, Town Board, and Board of Adjustments in land use decisions. Carlton also addressed statutory authority, open meetings law, and quasi-judicial hearings. Thank you to the Town of Greenevers for reaching out to us! Kudos to the Town for their efforts. If other communities are interested in similar training, please reach out to ECC Executive Director David Bone at 253-638-3185, ext. 3005.
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Ethics Class - February 15th, 2023
The Eastern Carolina Council hosted an ethics class on February 15th for local elected officials in our region. Thank you to David Baxter of Sumrell Sugg for providing the training! Thank you to our elected officials for their active participation and support. The presentation and discussion were excellent!
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General Membership Board Members
Jay Bender, President of the Eastern Carolina Council, welcomed 5 new General Membership Board Members and 1 new Executive Committee members to ECC at the February 9th Executive Committee meeting. (Left to Right are President Bender of Pollocksville, Danny Wooten of Vandamere, Ryan Kelley of Indian Beach, Linda Tyson of Kenansville, Lorrine Washington of Snow Hill, and Karen Lewis of Havelock.) We thank these individuals for their commitment and service to our communities and region. Welcome aboard!
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ECC to Host Grant Writing Seminar – MARCH 20th AND 21st – Eastern Carolina Council is proud to host a free 2-day Grant Writing workshop for member governments on March 20-21 (9:00-4:30) for the first 35 people to register. The workshop will provide opportunities to learn the various types and categories of grants, including federal and private foundation grants, as well as a glossary of terminology. The workshop will also provide time for attendees to learn the various concepts necessary to develop a grant.
Participants are asked to come with an identified need from their community to develop a grant application. We will search for available grant opportunities on https://www.grants.gov/ and a local database.
You can register for the workshop at https://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=gppuxoyab&oeidk=a07ejnrnmh799efaf5c
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UNC SOG / NCARCOG PARTNERSHIP TRAINING – MARCH 22nd – RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PATTERNS AND STRATEGIES IN NC On March 22nd from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., the UNC School of Government (SOG) and the NC Association of Regional Councils of Government (NCARCOG) are partnering in a training session about Recruitment and Retention Patterns and Strategies in NC.
The worker shortage in U.S. local government is at a crisis level, incurring significant impacts on public service delivery and producing high levels of burnout among city and county employees. Accordingly, this session will report local government survey data on recruitment and retention patterns in North Carolina, where local governments are experimenting with a range of tactics to slow employee turnover, attract qualified employees, and build adequate job candidate pools. The session will also discuss the top predictors of turnover intentions from survey data collected from over 5,000 local government employees. Session attendees will learn about recruitment and retention patterns and strategies from the perspective of both managers and employees.
The training will involve an interactive presentation with PowerPoint, two hours of instruction from School faculty followed by 30 minutes in regional sessions hosted by each council of governments (COG). ECC will provide the regional session for our region in a hybrid format – both in person (at ECC’s offices) and online.
The target audience includes local government management professionals. The cost of the training is only $40. Click Here to Register
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2023 Multimodal Planning Grant Program
The N.C. Department of Transportation is accepting applications for the 2023 Multimodal Planning Grant Program, which provides planning funds for identifying bike and walking paths and transit connections.
The plans would address a comprehensive strategy, rather than a single project, for expanding bicycle and pedestrian opportunities in a community. The plans may address facilities, programs, policies and design guidelines that encourage safe walking and bicycling.
The deadline for applications, to be submitted electronically, is 5 p.m. April 10. Award recipients are expected to be notified by July.
Communities can apply for a variety of plan options to meet specific needs, including multimodal, bicycle or pedestrian plans. In addition, the following options are available:
- Municipalities of all sizes and counties with populations of less than 100,000 with an existing bicycle or pedestrian plan may apply to update their plan if it is at least five years old.
- Municipalities with populations of less than 10,000 may apply for a project acceleration plan – an abbreviated plan that prioritizes project identification and implementation for small towns.
This program is sponsored by the department’s Integrated Mobility and Transportation Planning divisions. Since 2004, $8 million has been awarded to 248 municipalities and six counties across the state through this program.
Proposals are divided and judged in geographical groups to help establish equitable distribution of funding across the state. Selected recipients commonly include a diverse mix of municipalities from large cities to small towns.
Applicants can attend a March 14 webinar for details on the grant program.
For more information, contact Bryan Lopez at 919-707-2606 or balopez@ncdot.gov.
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NC DEQ’s Division of Water Infrastructure Announces Spring 2023 Funding Application Training at Five Locations Statewide
Hendersonville, Hickory, Raleigh, Pembroke, and Williamston
Feb. 28 – March 9, 2023
(Raleigh session on March 6 is also offered virtually and will be recorded for posting on the Division website)
Training will cover programmatic information, application package completion, Priority Rating Systems, a primer for Viable Utilities, funding expectations, and funding timelines and will include an overview of new Lead Service Line Replacement funding and Emerging Contaminant funding.
Schedule and Locations for Spring 2023 Application Training Sessions
RSVP to jennifer.haynie@ncdenr.gov (919.707.9173) prior to the desired session and provide name, organization, email, phone number, and the desired training location. All training sessions contain the same content. Application materials will be available on the Division website before training begins.
There is no registration cost.
Locations in the east include:
- Monday, March 6, 2023, Raleigh, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (50 seats available, virtual option available, will be recorded)
Steve Troxler Agricultural Sciences Center, 440 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh
Virtual option also available at this training only. A recording of this session will be
available on the Division website after the session.
WebEx link for online listening: https://ncgov.webex.com/ncgov/j.php?
MTID=ma3da6b716fcb0cea8d6b684fb21acf15 (Password: NCDWI, Call-in #:
415.655.0003, Access Code: 242 360 0740)
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Wednesday, March 8, 2023, Pembroke, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (40 seats available)
Lumber River Council of Governments, 30 C.J. Walker Road /COMtech Park,
Pembroke, NC
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Thursday, March 9, 2023, Williamston, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. (40 seats available)
NC Telecenter, 415 East Boulevard # 130, Williamston, NC
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Grant Opportunity - NCDOT Carbon Reduction Program
NCDOTs Transportation Planning Division has issued a call for projects in the Carbon Reduction Program. There is approximately $19 million to spend on these projects across rural communities in the state for the first two years of the program. While many of the details are being worked out, we can provide the following summary:
- Projects will be locally administered, meaning whichever community receives the funds is responsible for the delivery of the project.
- RPO staff is discussing with NCDOT Divisions in the region to understand their willingness to administer these projects. It should be noted that if the Division agrees to administer the project, there is a 10% cost increase for that service. If the Division contracts that service, it is safe to assume a 25% cost increase.
- These are federal funds, so once the funding is received and signed by the local entity, that entity is on the hook for the local match.
- Communities interested in these funds should be cautious about inaccurate cost estimates. They will only receive the 80% reimbursement for the funds allocated in their application, any spending at any capacity over the initial amount is the responsibility of the locality (at 100%).
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Communities should send project ideas to their RPO staff ASAP so we can send it up the chain for pre-approval. Even if you believe your project may not qualify, go ahead and send it to your RPO staff to see if it will be approved. Staff will send the project concept to TPD, who will clear it with FHWA, at which time the RPO staff will notify the applicant if the project is eligible.
- Each RPO has 4 submittal slots for communities between 5,000 and 49,999 in population, and 8 submittal slots for communities under 4,999 in population.
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Formal applications are due for this program on March 17th of 2023, HOWEVER, RPO staff asks that you send project ideas to us by the end of the calendar year so we can get them pre-approved.
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Golden Leaf Open Grants Program – The Open Grants Program allows applicants to apply for Golden LEAF funding throughout the year. Eligible applicants are governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. This program is for economic development projects aligned with the Golden LEAF priority areas. More details regarding Golden LEAF’s priority areas and priority outcomes are available at https://www.goldenleaf.org/opengrants/. | |
Golden Leaf Economic Catalyst Program – Golden LEAF will consider applications to assist eligible state, regional, and local economic development entities with grants to support permissible activities in projects in which a company will commit to creating a specific number of full-time jobs in a tobacco-dependent or economically distressed area. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Golden LEAF staff to discuss the potential projects and conditions that may be applied prior to applying. For more information, visit https://www.goldenleaf.org/catalyst/. | |
Golden Leaf Flood Mitigation Program – The State of North Carolina provided funds to the Golden LEAF Foundation to award funds to units of local government for public infrastructure projects for flood mitigation. Up to $250,000 may be awarded per project. For more information, visit https://www.goldenleaf.org/mitigation/.
Eligible Projects
Up to $250,000 may be awarded per project.
- Construction of new or improvement of existing publicly owned stormwater infrastructure, including natural drainage infrastructure and flood control equipment.
- Repair of existing stormwater infrastructure damaged or destroyed by flooding, which must include improvements to mitigate against future flooding.
- Engineering expenses related to planning and development of flood mitigation solutions.
Process
Applications will be accepted until all available funds are awarded. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
| Rural Transformation Grants – The Rural Transformation Grant Fund provides local governments with grants and expert guidance to improve economic vitality and overcome the unique challenges many rural communities face. The fund is open to local governments in the state's Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties, as well as Qualified Census Tracts in Tier 3 counties. Go to the map at NC Commerce - Rural Transformation Grant Fund (and write into the search box - 301 N. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27601). Click on the Legend to identify the eligible Qualified Census Tract areas. The fund will open for the third round of applications on March 22, 2023. | |
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RFP: Clean Water Act-Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant Funding for FY 2023
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Division of Water Resources (DWR), invites you to submit proposals for Clean Water Act-Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant Funding for the Fiscal Year 2023. This grant funding is aimed at supporting the projects that implement a DWR-approved watershed restoration plan to restore the water quality of waters impaired by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution.
DWR anticipates a potential availability of approximately $1.5 million in federal funds from the US Environmental Protection Agency, as provided by Section 319(h) of the Clean Water Act.
Attached, you will find the Request for Proposals (RFP), application form, and scoring criteria for the FY 2023 319(h) Grant Cycle. The grant is open to state and local governments, interstate agencies, public and private non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and state-recognized tribes. The deadline for applications is midnight on May 4, 2023.
All the applications will be reviewed for completeness, technical merit, and adherence to the Clean Water Act, USEPA Section 319(h) Program Guidance, and FY 2023 Request for Proposals criteria. Complete applications will undergo a comprehensive review using criteria designed to evaluate and score the environmental benefits likely to be achieved. Final funding recommendations will be made by an interagency workgroup of nonpoint source practitioners, based on the rankings of the applications. Successful applicants will be required to sign a formal grant agreement and abide by all requirements of Section 319(h) implementation sub-awards program.
Please note that the availability of funds, amounts, and award schedules are subject to the USEPA’s budget approved by Congress and the subsequent allocation of Section 319 funds to the state. The NCDEQ, DWR reserves the right to fully fund, partially fund, or not fund any proposal or any component of any Section 319 grant proposal.
We encourage you to disseminate this RFP to any individuals or groups who may be interested in funding restoration projects in watersheds impaired by nonpoint source pollution. For any questions regarding the FY 2023 319(h) RFP or project eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact Rishi Bastakoti at rishi.bastakoti@ncdenr.gov.
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ARP Technical Assistance Provided to ECC Members
Eastern Carolina Council is now able to provide American Rescue Plan (ARP) technical assistance to its members, at no cost to our members, through grant funding support. Carlton Gideon is now the Senior Community Planner for ECC, and his primary focus at this time is to provide American Rescue Plan / Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (ARP/CSLFRF) program technical assistance. If you have a question about ARPA compliance, policies, or reporting, please contact Carlton at cgideon@eccog.org or at 252-638-3185, ext. 3018.
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ARP Office Hours with UNC School of Government
Rebecca Badgett and I are holding ARP BASICS Office Hours once a month for those new(er) to ARP. The next ARP BASICS is Wednesday, February 8, from 8:30-10:30am. Here are resources for ARP BASICS. Sometime next week we will add pre-recorded videos to introduce the ARP Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program and eligible projects. Live time will focus on compliance.
OFFICE HOURS
ARP Office Hours 2023:
- Thursday, March 9, from 12-2pm (ARP Basics — special Office Hours for those New(er) to ARP)
- Monday, March 13, from 8:30-9:30am
- Wednesday, March 22, from 12-1pm
- Thursday, March 30, from 8:30-9:30am
The Zoom link for all sessions is
https://zoom.us/j/95481909044?pwd=UlE2VHNhN2luS0JEYTJqeTZTMFRWdz09
Meeting ID: 954 8190 9044
Passcode: 779726
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Eastern Carolina Council of Governments (ECCOG) would love to share your news with the Region. Email your stories to eccadmin@eccog.org. | |
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ECC Budget & Audit Committee
March 9, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
3rd Floor Conference Room at ECC
ECC General Membership Board
March 9, 2023, at 6:00 p.m.
3rd Floor Conference Room at ECC
DERPO - Technical Coordinating Committee
March 21, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
3rd Floor Conference Room at ECC
ECRPO - Technical Coordinating Committee & Transportation Advisory Committee
March 23, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
LaGrange Community Center
DERPO - Transportation Advisory Committee
March 28, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
3rd Floor Conference Room at ECC
Regional Aging Advisory Committee
April 3, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
3rd Floor Conference Room at ECC
Senior Tarheel Legislature
April 3, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.
3rd Floor Conference Room at ECC
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