Opportunity Overview
North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM), within the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, is accepting applications for the Volunteer Organization Recovery Fund Grant — Round 3 (VORG). This state-funded recovery opportunity supports nonprofit organizations that are actively carrying out repair and reconstruction of housing damaged by Tropical Storm Helene in North Carolina counties covered by the federal disaster declaration.
Funding and Cost Share
Initial funding is anticipated to total $35,000,000. NCEM states that there is no maximum grant request limit; funding will be allocated to maximize needed capacity. Projects may be 100% funded with no local cost share. Awards are paid on a reimbursement basis.
General administrative costs are capped at 3% or less of the award and must be directly related to the funded project. Eligible administrative functions may include financial management, budgeting, accounting, payroll, audits, grant monitoring, report writing, legal services, and governance or oversight required by the project. The funds are not intended to replace administrative activities already being performed.
Deadline and Submission
Applications must be received by NCEM no later than October 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. The application must be emailed to NCEMLTR.Grant@ncdps.gov with the subject line Applicant name – Project name – VORG Round 3 Disaster Recovery Grant Program. The application email must contain one PDF organized according to the required application structure.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations actively involved in actual and ongoing repair and reconstruction projects in North Carolina counties within the Tropical Storm Helene Federal Disaster Declaration. Project-specific eligibility must be supported by current repair or reconstruction activity; nonprofit status alone is not sufficient.
NCEM will prioritize proposals serving areas underserved by previous housing-recovery grant awards. The NOFO identifies Avery, Ashe, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, and Yancey counties as examples, while allowing applicants to demonstrate unmet need in other eligible disaster-declaration counties.
Eligible Work
Eligible work includes ongoing and proposed Tropical Storm Helene housing repair and reconstruction. NCEM may also consider temporary relocation assistance as a direct cost for residents whose homes are actively being repaired or reconstructed and who have exhausted other housing options, including friends, family, and volunteer organizations.
The period of performance may extend for up to 36 months from the date of award.
Required Application Components
The required single PDF must follow the five-part structure published by NCEM:
- Applicant information: applicant name, address, contact information, and project name. Nonprofit corporations must also include a Certificate of Existence from the North Carolina Secretary of State and bylaws.
- Project description: a general description of the project and the counties to be served. This component is worth 30 points.
- Scope of Work and budget: the project Scope of Work, cost-estimate budget, and explanation of how the estimate was developed. This component is worth 40 points.
- Timeline: the schedule from grant approval through project completion. This component is worth 15 points.
- Management and experience: who will manage the project, their qualifications, and the applicant’s experience managing grant awards. This component is worth 15 points.
Competitive Proposal Expectations
NCEM states that competitive proposals are likely to include a clear task-and-deliverable schedule; a description of any requested administrative costs; the proposed management structure and responsibilities; a system for tracking and monitoring progress; evidence of financial and legal capacity; experience with projects of similar or greater size and complexity; prior outreach and collaboration with partners; and resumes for executive, managerial, legal, or professional personnel assigned to manage the project.
Recipients will be expected to report tangible progress monthly, including homes in process and completed, and to participate in at least quarterly project review meetings with the assigned NCEM Grant Manager. Site visits and interim or final inspections may also apply.
Post-Award Documents
Selected applicants will be required to execute a Grant Agreement or MOA and provide the state-required post-award materials identified by NCEM, including the State of North Carolina Substitute W-9, Supplier Electronic Payment Request, Conflict of Interest Policy, and notarized No Overdue Tax Debt Certification.
Technical Assistance and Contact
NCEM has scheduled technical-assistance workshops for September 17, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM and September 22, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Questions may be sent to NCEMLTR.grant@ncdps.gov.
Amendment Status
As of Atlas verification on September 13, 2026, the controlling NCEM NOFO page does not list a separate amendment or addendum changing the published deadline, eligibility, funding level, or application structure. Applicants should continue to monitor the controlling NCEM page before submission.
Atlas Fit Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 82/100. This is a large, clearly documented, state-administered recovery funding opportunity with no local cost share, a defined scoring structure, and a long implementation window. The score is moderated because eligibility and allowable work are narrowly focused on Helene housing repair and reconstruction rather than healthcare, education, or clinical infrastructure.
N9+ Fit Score: 0/100. The published NOFO does not establish a legitimate role for the Nonagon N9+ device and platform or QC Healthcare. Atlas will not force a clinical-technology concept into a housing-repair grant.
Realistic Organizations to Evaluate
NCEM’s prior Helene housing-recovery awards identify organizations with demonstrated reconstruction activity that may be reasonable candidates for current eligibility review, including Baptists on Mission, Appalachian Service Project, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, Fuller Center Disaster Rebuilders, and other nonprofit rebuild organizations serving western North Carolina. Prior award status does not automatically establish current Round 3 eligibility; each organization must still demonstrate active, ongoing repair or reconstruction work and satisfy the current NOFO.
Dr. Miltie / QC Healthcare Review
Dr. Miltie/QC Healthcare is not advanced as a direct applicant or vendor. The opportunity is restricted to nonprofit organizations actively performing Helene housing repair and reconstruction, and the controlling NOFO does not provide a defensible healthcare-technology role.
Source Control
Controlling NOFO: NC DPS — Notice of Funding Opportunity: Volunteer Organization Recovery Fund Grant Round 3 (2027).
Official release confirming the deadline time zone: NC DPS — Volunteer Organization Recovery Fund Grant Round 3.
Prior rebuild-organization evidence: NC DPS — 2025 Helene Rebuild Grants.