Tier One County Assistance.

This bill, known as the Economic Empowerment for Tier One Counties Act, allocates $400 million from the state's General Fund to support specific counties in North Carolina designated as "development tier one areas." The Department of Commerce will distribute these funds as grants to eligible counties for projects focused on self-sufficiency, infrastructure improvements, education, or workforce development, with no single county able to receive more than $10 million. To receive funding, counties must submit a proposal detailing their plans, which the Department must approve before any money is released, and counties must submit annual reports on how they use the funds. The legislation also includes a provision requiring counties to repay any grants they receive if they are later found to be ineligible.