A Look Ahead with the Institute for Emerging Issues

Hurricane Helene underscored the urgency of protecting North Carolinians’ access to clean water, adding to long-term challenges facing water systems across the state. From aging rural infrastructure, to shortages of qualified workers, to expanding needs in fast-growing communities, water needs challenge our state’s economic vitality. 

Join NCNG and the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) for a virtual conversation exploring North Carolina’s infrastructure landscape and what it means for the future of our communities. IEI will briefly share a landscape overview of North Carolina’s infrastructure challenges and opportunities, insights from their 2025 Forum on energy and a glimpse into the 2027 focus on housing. We'll spend the majority of our time together on their 2026 Forum focus: water. 

Following the presentation, participants will join breakout discussions to reflect on funding connections, share what they’re seeing and hearing, and surface promising practices. We’ll close with a full-group reflection to lift up themes and questions. No matter your funding priorities, this session will help connect your work to the infrastructure issues shaping North Carolina’s future.

Speaker: Jessica Solis Aguilar, Policy and Program Manager, Institute for Emerging Issues