NEW HANOVER COUNTY — The Endowment has established a $2 million Emergency Recovery Grant Reserve designed to “deliver fast, targeted support when disaster occurs.” The fund launches in 2026.
The Emergency Recovery Grant Reserve may be activated when a state of emergency is declared in New Hanover County. It is designed to support residents facing direct losses — housing damage, disrupted transportation or employment, or loss of essential property — or first responders and critical services with unmet needs.
The reserve may also be deployed during non-natural crises, including “criminal incidents, victimization, or behavioral health emergencies,” according to The Endowment.
The Endowment notes New Hanover County has experienced 20 federally declared disasters, most of them weather-related, over the last two decades. The reserve is intended to work in collaboration with local emergency management leaders and disaster-response partners and be complementary to the New Hanover County and City of Wilmington’s All Hazards Response Plans.
“We take seriously the role of The Endowment as a civic leader and steward of public resources and are here to stand with New Hanover County residents in times of crisis,” Interim President and CEO Sophie Dagenais said in a press release. “This anticipatory lane of funding allows us to prepare so that when challenges arise, we can respond quickly, support our community, and help everyone recover stronger together.”
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