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Dear Friends,
I hope my message finds you and your family healthy and well.
Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed May as Asian American-Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate the many contributions Asian Americans have made, and continue to make, to North Carolina’s communities, schools and workforce. During Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month we celebrate the efforts and contributions of Asian American Pacific Islanders that can be seen in every aspect of society.
Please share our newsletter so your friends and family can stay up to date with the latest news, information, and resources relevant to the Cooper Administration.
Stephanie Pigues
Office of the Governor
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Governor Cooper Highlights Investments in North Carolina Racetracks, Celebrates Racing’s Return to North Wilkesboro Speedway
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Today marks 75 years since the first race at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 18, 1947, and on the eve of that historic day, Governor Roy Cooper visited the speedway to highlight the significant investments it will receive for repairs from the state budget and celebrate the return of racing. The Governor was joined by Speedway Motorsports President and CEO Marcus Smith, NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress, legendary NASCAR driver Harry Gant and local Wilkes County officials. For the first time in more than a decade, North Wilkesboro Speedway will host races in August and October 2022 with Racetrack Revival.
“North Carolina’s speedways are strong economic drivers for communities across the state that bring friends, families, and neighbors together for a rip-roaring good time,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “North Wilkesboro Speedway is just one of many racetracks that will be able to cross the finish line on much-needed repairs with these state funds – racing on these tracks is back and here to stay.”
“From grassroots to NASCAR and from the mountains to the coast, motorsports are truly an economic engine for North Carolina,” said Marcus Smith, President and CEO of Speedway Motorsports. “We’re grateful for Governor Cooper and the state legislature’s support of motorsports. This investment will not only revive North Wilkesboro Speedway, but also support tourism and jobs statewide for the future.”
In his budget proposal last year, Governor Cooper first included funds to revitalize speedways across North Carolina and in November 2021, the signed state budget including these funds into law. The budget allocates American Rescue Plan funding to speedways across the state, with North Wilkesboro Speedway receiving $18 million. Governor Cooper and the North Carolina Department of Commerce announced today that 15 local governments have been awarded $45.8 million to help 17 motorsports venues recover from the pandemic. The money can be used for water, sewer and other infrastructure projects pertaining to the speedways. The grants will enhance local tourism, travel and hospitality industries that benefit from the many motorsports events held in North Carolina.
North Wilkesboro Speedway is one of the first NASCAR tracks and was home to two Winston Cup Series races for several decades. The final NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro was held in 1996 and won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon. The track has sat largely abandoned in recent years, but community efforts have helped to bring racing back. Racetrack Revival will feature nearly a month of grassroots racing on the current pavement in August. Then following removal of the old asphalt, racing will return on the original dirt in October.
READ MORE...
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North Carolina Announces Plan to Join Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program
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Today, Governor Roy Cooper sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce declaring North Carolina’s intent to participate in the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
“State and federal partnerships are critical to helping us close the digital divide and North Carolina is all in on getting internet for all,” said Governor Cooper. “This effort will pave the way toward a future where everyone will have access to high-speed and high-quality internet.”
“North Carolina’s participation in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program will bring additional funding to connect unserved households and businesses across the state with high-speed internet service,” said N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Deputy Secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity Nate Denny. “We look forward to working with both our federal and local partners in this initiative so more North Carolinians can benefit from crucial access to online work, education and healthcare resources.”
On May 13, Governor Cooper joined U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to announce the launch of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet For All initiative in Durham. Administered and implemented by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, the Internet for All initiative will invest $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet for everyone in America by the end of the decade. The BEAD Program is one of the three Internet for All Notices of Funding Opportunity.
The BEAD Program expands high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs across the country. To participate in the program, eligible entities must submit a letter of intent and a planning funds project to allow states to begin creating their five-year action plan.
Governor Cooper has designated the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT)’s Division of Broadband and Digital Equity as the recipient and administering agent for BEAD Program awards and NCDIT Deputy Secretary of Broadband and Digital Equity Nate Denny as North Carolina’s point of contact. The Governor has requested $5 million in initial planning funds for the state.
Expanding access to high-speed internet in North Carolina is a key priority for Governor Cooper. In July 2021, the Governor announced the creation of the nation’s first Office of Digital Equity and Literacy. In 2018, the Governor launched the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Program to bring high-speed internet to thousands of North Carolinians, businesses and farms in rural areas. The GREAT Grant Program has invested more than $55 million to connect over 40,000 households and businesses to broadband. Currently, 305 applications are under review for the next $350 million in GREAT grants funded by the American Rescue Plan.
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Governor Cooper Announces Updated Online Work-Based Learning Tool to Help NC Students
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Navigator 3.0 is a collaboration between the Governor’s Office, the North Carolina Business Committee for Education and Fidelity Investments
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Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina educators now have access to an improved online tool to help them connect students with opportunities to explore potential careers. The work-based learning tool, called “The Navigator,” brings together members of the business, education, and workforce development communities in a space where they can post, search for and measure work-based learning opportunities. The newest version of the Navigator Tool offers improved user experience and new features where employers list virtual and in-person work-based learning activities.
“Opportunities available through the Navigator can help students discover career paths and help employers increase the pipeline of talent.” Governor Roy Cooper said. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s workforce, and I encourage North Carolina employers to join this effort to nurture the next generation of well-trained workers.”
The original Navigator platform was developed and launched in 2018 through a partnership between the Governor’s Office, Fidelity Investments, and the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE). Funding for design and development of the new Navigator 3.0 was supported by both NCBCE and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. NCBCE is a nonprofit housed in the Governor’s Office that connects business and education leaders. Educators, counselors, and job coaches then go online to select opportunities for their students with no cost to employers or schools to participate.
“The Navigator is critical for connecting underrepresented populations with opportunities in our state’s key industries, while growing the state’s talent pipeline,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “To lead the nation in work-based learning, our employers, educators, and students must have access to one another – and that’s what the Navigator offers.”
The Navigator 3.0 has several new features aimed at making the platform as easy to use as possible for local businesses, including instant messaging with educators, analytics reports documenting community engagement, and the ability to streamline users from the same company. These new features are designed to make it easier educators and business representatives to coordinate and help employers better track demand for their work-based learning opportunities.
READ MORE...
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NC COVID-19 Student Response Corps Launches Its Third Year of Providing Help to Nonprofits, Local Governments
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Students, recent graduates encouraged to apply for internships for this summer
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Year three of the NC COVID-19 Student Response Corps is underway with nearly 100 internship opportunities across the state featured in the 2022 Response Corps Database. Current college students and recent graduates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible for these internships to gain valuable experience and provide needed help to local governments and nonprofits.
“The Response Corps offers a way for students and recent graduates from across our state to provide key support to government and nonprofits, while gaining valuable experience to help launch their careers in public service,” said Governor Roy Cooper.
The program offers a wide variety of opportunities, including social media and marketing work for the Currituck Chamber of Commerce, bookkeeping for the Aurora Fossil Museum Foundation, and participating in urban agriculture efforts to address food insecurity with Growing High Point.
The Response Corps started in 2020 as a virtual internship program due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Internships are available in person and virtually, both part time and full time. The initiative is part of Governor Cooper’s NC Job Ready effort to make sure North Carolinians are prepared for the jobs of today and tomorrow. The program helps strengthen the public service talent pipeline and prepares North Carolina’s students for employment.
With the onset of the pandemic, organizations faced new challenges and many talented North Carolina students lost summer internships and jobs. The Response Corps was created to address those issues and continues to help alleviate these concerns. One of its key features is a public database where students can learn about and apply for professional opportunities across North Carolina.
In its first two years, the Response Corps placed nearly 180 college students in government and nonprofit internships. The interns have tackled projects from grant writing and research to community engagement and volunteer coordination.
“NC COVID-19 Student Response Corps interns intrinsically added to our value through mentoring our kids, tutoring math and science, and improving our social media visibility,” said Theresa Isibor-Davis of the International Center for Community Development. “Their impact has been invaluable due to the fresh perspectives they bring to our programs and community. They continue to support our organization even though the program has ended.”
Mohammadi Amena interned with the International Committee for the Promotion of Investment, Valorisation, Innovation and Employment (CIPIVIE), an international nonprofit focused on providing socio-economic, educational, health, humanitarian, and human development interventions to support vulnerable populations across the world, She found the experience valuable, saying, “I have not been able to get this hands-on experience before. I am now very excited to start the journey after knowing how CIPIVIE and this project will improve the lives of so many people — and how it can potentially save lives.”
The Response Corps is led by Lead for North Carolina and the NC Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP). Lead for North Carolina connects recent college graduates with high impact fellowships in local governments across the state. OSP facilitates government-research and government-philanthropy partnerships to support state agencies’ efforts to bolster research capacity, strengthen the state government talent pipeline, and improve government policy and programmatic functions. Response Corps partners have included VolunteerNC, Hometown Strong, the NC Association of County Commissioners, the NC League of Municipalities, the NC Rural Center, and colleges and universities from across North Carolina.
For more information on the Response Corps visit the Response Corps website.
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Governor Cooper Releases Proposed Budget, Building on Success
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Governor Roy Cooper today released his recommended budget for FY 2022-2023, Building on Success. The plan put forth by the Governor presents a budget that builds on the state’s success by investing in North Carolina families, businesses, and communities.
“Families have returned to their lives of work and school after tremendous challenges but find that they still struggle to find affordable healthcare and childcare,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolina is emerging from the pandemic stronger than before, and we will sustain that only if we invest in a strong foundation for our people: A quality education, good jobs and infrastructure, and access to affordable healthcare. Let’s use this historic opportunity to give families, businesses and communities the tools they need to thrive.”
Building on Success invests in workforce training for high paying jobs, quality healthcare and clean air and drinking water, infrastructure that can power the next generation’s economy and safe, thriving communities.
Empowering Safe, Successful Communities
The Governor’s budget invests in safer, more prosperous communities. It helps first-time homebuyers with down payments, including enhanced assistance for educators and protectors like law enforcement, firefighters and EMS personnel. It also expands affordable housing by supporting the construction and rehabilitation of rental housing.
The budget also helps communities stop violent crime by funding evidence-based interventions and recidivism reduction programs. It invests in local law enforcement, providing grants to fund their purchases of body-worn cameras, gun locks for the public to be distributed by sheriffs’ offices, and gun storage education. It also includes additional funding for equipment for state troopers and community corrections officers.
Read more about the Governor’s plan to bolster North Carolina’s prosperous and safe communities HERE.
Ensuring a Healthy, Resilient NC
The Governor’s budget advances clean energy and energy efficiency as the state transitions to a clean energy economy. It prioritizes clean air and water, upgraded wastewater and other critical infrastructure necessary for communities to grow and thrive.
Read more about the Governor’s plan to fight climate change and protect the state’s clean drinking water HERE.
Providing a Sound Basic Education for All Students
North Carolina’s economy is only as strong as its public schools. The Governor’s budget provides resources and supports to help students catch up on learning and invests in educator pay to recruit and retain the best teachers.
The budget supports community-based solutions to help keep schools safe, initiatives to help students in crisis and school safety and mental health training programs. And it recommends ways to ensure every child has a highly qualified teacher in the classroom.
The proposed budget expands access to early childhood education by investing in the NC Pre-K program and high-quality childcare. The budget also provides grant funds for community colleges to host early childhood education centers.
Read more about the Governor’s plan for stronger schools HERE.
Stronger Workforce for Better Paying Jobs
North Carolina is recruiting new jobs at a record pace. This budget continues to invest in our workforce to meet the needs of employers. It expands work-based learning grants, increases job training opportunities and launches innovative pilot programs, supporting communities in every region of our state.
The budget also creates new opportunities for small businesses with investments to help attract and retain talent and expand access to early-stage technology development grants.
For small business owners, especially women and minorities, so many of whom were impacted by the pandemic, this budget offers support they need to develop, grow and succeed, which will help strengthen the foundation of our economy and communities across the state.
Read more about the Governor’s plan to build on North Carolina’s economic success HERE.
Committing to A Healthier North Carolina
The Governor’s budget proposes Medicaid Expansion to provide access to affordable health insurance to more than 600,000 additional North Carolinians, including veterans, working people without insurance, families with children, and others. Medicaid expansion would provide coverage for working people and help strained healthcare providers recover from the pandemic, particularly in rural communities.
Read more about the benefits of Medicaid Expansion in North Carolina HERE.
Read the full budget recommendation HERE.
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Governor Cooper Visits Barber Shop in Asheville to Highlight Phase Two of Business Recovery Grants, Encourages Eligible Businesses to Apply
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Expanded eligibility opens the door for more businesses to apply for funding from Phase Two of the Business Recovery Grant program
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Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR) Secretary Ronald Penny visited Legends Barber and Beauty Shop in Asheville to highlight the opening of Phase Two of the Business Recovery Grant program and encourage all eligible businesses to apply for support. The Governor and Secretary Penny were joined by the Asheville Chamber of Commerce and Mountain BizWorks.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our state’s economy, and we know they were hit hard during the pandemic,” Governor Cooper said. “We encourage eligible businesses to apply for these grants to get the support they still may need to fully recover.”
“Getting the word out about Phase 2 of the Business Recovery Grant Program is a priority. Our goal is to make sure eligible North Carolina businesses in all industries that were impacted by the pandemic know about this opportunity and apply for the grant funds," said Secretary Penny. "These funds were made available for them and we want to do everything we can to make sure they know about the program and apply.”
“It has been difficult as a business owner. During and after COVID, it was very devastating especially in the beginning. Having to close up my business for 3 months, with no idea of how I was going to survive, and we are still dealing with the fears and reality of COVID that still affects our business today,” said Darryl Cannady, Owner of Legends Barber and Beauty Shop. “We are sincerely grateful to the Governor’s office and state lawmakers for providing the funds and quickly implementing this program to help small businesses.”
In May 2022, the NCDOR launched Phase 2 of the Business Recovery Grant (BRG) Program. The program provides a payment to eligible North Carolina businesses that experienced a significant economic loss due to the pandemic. Eligibility has been expanded to include businesses not eligible in the first round of grants, including: barbershops, cosmetology businesses, gyms and more businesses. The application for Phase 2 is open now through June 1, 2022.
See the NC Department of Revenue announcement of Phase 2 HERE.
See footage of Governor Cooper's visit HERE.
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What is Age My Way NC? It's a survey asking North Carolinians 45 and older to offer their thoughts on priorities for their communities, including safe and walkable streets, age-friendly housing, and transportation options; access to needed services; open spaces and parks; and opportunities for all residents whether they be in rural or urban areas to participate in community life.
Soon one in five North Carolinians will be over 65 - there will be more older adults than children for the first time ever. Thank you for taking the time to complete the Age My Way NC Survey, so that our policymakers will understand and focus on projects that can make North Carolina communities livable for people of all ages.
Age My Way NC is a collaborative effort between the State of North Carolina and AARP-NC.
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Virtual Lunch and Learn Series Offers Leaders Opportunity to Enhance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs in Public and Private Sector
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During the next three months, the NC Department of Administration is providing business and government leaders opportunities to join a virtual lunch and learn series that explore ways to enhance and develop diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within North Carolina’s public and private business sectors. Hosted by the Andrea Harris Task Force’s Business Engagement Group, each of the three free 90-minute webinars features a panel of business experts who will share their experiences, challenges, and successes with programs created to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each webinar also features an audience question and answer session.
“The goal is to continue advancing diversity, equity and inclusion within our state,” said Andrea Harris Task Force Chair and Secretary of the NC Department of Administration Pamela B. Cashwell. “Our workforce, particularly leadership roles, should reflect the diversity of our state. It is my hope that businesses will take information from the lunch and learn series to improve upon disparities within the workplace including equal pay and gender segregated careers.”
The learning series begins next week and includes topics such as recruiting, on-the-job training and employee business resource groups. Participants can elect to attend any or all three webinars.
April 22, 2022 – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion External Mentor Programs & Supplier Diversity Programs
- Moderator: Kevin Price, President & CEO, National Institute of Minority Economic Development
- Panelists: Kate Weaver, Supplier Diversity Manager, Peapod Digital Labs (Food Lion sister company)
- Andrew Grier, Supplier Engagement & Diversity Manager, Duke Energy
May 20, 2022 – Internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training and Employee Business Resource Groups
- Moderator: Evin L. Grant, Policy Director, NC Department of Administration
- Panelists: Danielle Pavliv, Chief Diversity Officer, SAS
- Brooke Cummings, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Curi
- Niya Fonville, Director of Externships, Campbell Law School
June 17, 2022 – Diversity Recruiting and Hiring and On the Job Training
All participants must pre-register to attend each lunch and learn.
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