Residents in four North Carolina communities will soon have more reasons and ways to enjoy their downtown areas. The public power cities of High Point, Lumberton, Morganton, and Washington received $10,000 each from ElectriCities’ Downtown Revitalization Grant program.
The program is designed to help North Carolina public power communities spur downtown economic development and achieve their downtown revitalization goals.
High Point’s Local Business Retention Program
The City of High Point will put its funds toward a community-wide business retention initiative, “Point to Local: Invest Where You Live.”
The initiative is designed to address the unique challenges Downtown High Point’s small businesses face because of the biannual High Point Furniture Market. Those challenges include inconsistent foot traffic and limited availability of downtown rental spaces, since large corporations lease many available spaces to use for temporary furniture showrooms, said Rebekah McGee, President and CEO of Forward High Point.
“Point to Local: Invest Where You Live” enables consumers to purchase a digital gift card that’s redeemable exclusively at participating downtown merchants, ensuring that every dollar spent through the program directly benefits small, locally owned establishments.
“By encouraging local spending, this initiative supports small businesses that have committed to staying open every day—despite inconsistent foot traffic,” Rebekah said. “The program directly supports the City of High Point’s overall economic development strategy by reinforcing the vitality of small businesses, fostering year-round economic activity downtown, and reducing the community’s overreliance on the furniture market.”
Downtown Lumberton’s Farmers Market Upgrade
The City of Lumberton will put its grant proceeds toward essential facility upgrades at the Robeson County Farmers Market in Downtown Lumberton.
“As a vital community hub, the farmers market offers direct access to fresh, local produce while supporting small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs,” said Sarah Ward, Downtown Coordinator for the City of Lumberton.
The project aims to provide a permanent, central market structure that will serve as both an economic hub and a community space.
“Enhancing this space will improve vendor capacity, customer experience, and year-round functionality—ultimately attracting more foot traffic, stimulating nearby businesses, and fostering local pride,” Sarah said. “This investment will not only strengthen the local food economy but also serve as a catalyst for continued momentum in downtown Lumberton’s transformation into a thriving, inclusive destination.”
Morganton’s Downtown Sound System Project
The City of Morganton will put its ElectriCities grant toward restoring its downtown music system. The original system installed in 1998 failed in 2020, and the replacement wireless system installed in 2022 has remained inoperable.
“For years, the ambient music was a defining characteristic of Downtown Morganton, frequently praised by tourists,” said Sharon Jablonski, Director of Cultural and Creative Development for the City of Morganton. “The prolonged silence has been a noticeable loss, impacting the overall experience for shoppers, diners, and those simply enjoying the downtown environment.”
Working with a team at the City of Lenoir that has had issues with the same music system, the Morganton team has found a solution. Using the grant, they’ll be able to completely rework and activate all 16 of their sound units.
“Restoring our downtown music system is a crucial step in enhancing the vibrancy and appeal of Downtown Morganton,” Sharon said. “This grant funding enables us to fully implement a proven solution, revitalizing a cherished amenity and contributing significantly to the ongoing downtown revitalization efforts.”
Downtown Washington’s Alleyway Improvements Project
The City of Washington will use its funding to install lighting and security cameras in two of its downtown alleyways.
“The alleyways were not part of the City’s recently completed streetscape project, but completing the streetscape highlighted the need for better lighting and safety in other areas of Downtown Washington, said John Jesso, Interim Executive Director of the Washington Harbor District Alliance. “With the increased foot traffic and retail activities due to our streetscape project, we’re expecting improvements to the alleyways to facilitate even more pedestrian traffic and contribute to both community and economic redevelopment.”
“These grant-winning projects show that there are many different ways we can improve our downtowns and support development,” said Carl Rees, ElectriCities Manager of Economic and Community Development. “Helping fund them injects needed energy into our members’ downtown areas, sparking growth and ultimately improving the quality of life in these public power communities.”
About ElectriCities’ Downtown Revitalization Grants
ElectriCities awards the competitive Downtown Revitalization Grants twice a year—each spring and fall—to its members in the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA) and in North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1 (NCMPA1). Grant proceeds must be used for projects that advance the community’s downtown revitalization goals and are approved by the city or town manager or chief executive. The next application cycle for ElectriCities Downtown Revitalization Grants opens in the fall of 2025.
