Duke Energy Foundation Announces $500,000 in Grants to Strengthen Storm Preparedness Across North Ca

Duke Energy Foundation has announced $500,000 in grants to support local storm preparedness and emergency readiness initiatives across North Carolina.

Funding will help organizations strengthen natural disaster readiness through:

• Community preparedness training
• Emergency planning
• Local response collaboration
• Public education initiatives designed to help residents prepare for severe weather

While North Carolina faces frequent and severe storms, the grants will help ensure communities have the training, coordination and resources needed to prepare, respond and recover more effectively.

The details:

• Eligible organizations will be allowed to apply for grants of up to $25,000 now through April 30, 2026 through Duke Energy Foundation's website.
• $11.4 million are invested to support the state's storm preparedness and recovery since 2016, reinforcing the company's aim to achieve community safety, resilience and disaster readiness by Duke Energy and its Foundation.

"Storm preparedness is really about people – making sure communities have what they need before disaster strikes,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy North Carolina state president. “By supporting local partners who know their communities best, these grants help close critical gaps in readiness, improve coordination during severe weather and enable communities to recover faster."

"Emergency preparedness starts at the individual level,” said Don Mial, Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair (2025 grant recipient). “When all residents have access to the resources that will keep them safe during a crisis or natural disaster, our whole community becomes more resilient."