Asheville Small Business Recovery Grants Open June 15

Local business owners in Asheville have a major recovery date to circle on the calendar.

The City of Asheville is launching a new small business disaster recovery grant program designed to help local businesses continue rebuilding after Hurricane Helene. Applications for the Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grant Program are scheduled to open at noon on June 15 and close at noon on July 14. Grant awards are expected to range from $5,000 to $75,000 for eligible businesses with remaining storm-related recovery needs.

The program is part of a larger $15.5 million Small Business Support Program approved by Asheville City Council, with $14.6 million directed toward the grant program itself. The funding comes through federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery resources, commonly known as CDBG-DR, following Helene’s impact on Western North Carolina.

For Asheville’s business community, this is more than another grant notice. Many local shops, restaurants, studios, service businesses, and neighborhood storefronts have spent months trying to stabilize after storm damage, lost revenue, interrupted foot traffic, repairs, cleanup, and delayed reopening timelines. For some owners, the gap between what insurance, loans, savings, or previous aid covered and what recovery actually costs remains a serious challenge.

The new grant program is intended to help address those unmet needs. According to recovery program information, award decisions may consider factors such as physical storm damage, revenue loss, insurance or other funding already received, and the number of jobs a business expects to retain or create.

For 828 Daily readers, this is a practical item to share widely. A business owner may need time to review eligibility, gather paperwork, document losses, understand application requirements, and ask questions before the application window opens. The application preview and eligibility information are already available, and one-on-one application assistance is being offered to help business owners prepare.

The program also connects to the larger story of Asheville’s recovery. Helene did not affect only buildings and roads. It disrupted the small businesses that give Asheville much of its character: the places where locals gather, eat, shop, work, create, and bring visitors. Helping those businesses recover is part of helping neighborhoods, commercial districts, and local jobs recover too.

Local owners should mark June 15 at noon and review the application details before the window opens. Customers and neighbors can help by sharing the information with business owners who may qualify, especially those still rebuilding quietly behind the scenes.

For Asheville, small business recovery is not just about reopening doors. It is about keeping local places local.