RALEIGH, N.C. — Governor Roy Cooper outlined a plan for allocating federal COVID-19 relief funds for immediate needs on Thursday. He also explained plans for investing state resources to help North Carolina communities build back as the state turns the corner on the pandemic.
“North Carolinians have stood strong during this pandemic and we are ready to move our state forward," Cooper said.
Cooper’s plan would invest the state’s share of more than $4 billion in federal stimulus funds for "immediate critical needs."
The plan would provide funding for COVID relief issues like vaccines, more supplies to slow the virus spread, help for rent and utility bills, and more funding to put food on the table.
Specifically:
- Approximately $2 billion for emergency assistance for public and private K-12 schools and higher education institutions.
- $336 million for childcare and development block grants.
- Approximately $700 million for access to vaccines and testing, tracing and prevention measures to slow the spread of the virus.
- $546 million for emergency rental assistance, which will build on North Carolina’s current work. While this is the first dedicated federal funding for rental assistance, North Carolina recognized the extraordinary need to help people stay in their homes during the pandemic and created the HOPE program to pay back rent and utilities using last year’s CRF funds.
- $258 million for Highway Infrastructure and $65 million for airports.
- $47 million for Community Mental Health Services.
- Funding for food assistance programs, such as SNAP and school nutrition.
A fuller proposed biennial budget will be presented later in the legislative session.
Cooper's briefing comes two days after he said, "it is time" to reopen schools for in-person learning. He cited a study that tracked 11 North Carolina school districts, totaling over 90,000 students and staff over a nine-week period. Only 30 cases of COVID-19 were traced back to the school setting, and none of the cases involved a student giving the virus to a teacher.
State lawmakers sent the governor a coronavirus relief bill that would give about $1.6 billion for education. Some of the money will be used to help schools reopen. Parents would have more time to apply for a $335 check to help with the costs they've incurred for remote learning.
Vaccination administration in the state has slowed down after peaking in January. Health departments are dealing with vaccine appointments quickly filling up as soon as slots are available.
Watch the full press conference:
