$620K in state funding headed to Pender County communities
BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — Pender County is set to receive $620,000 in directed appropriations through North Carolina’s 2026 state budget, funding playground improvements, grants for local organizations and new equipment for emergency services.
The funding is included in the 2026 Appropriations Act, the state’s first full biennial budget since 2023, which was signed into law Wednesday by Governor Josh Stein. County officials said the appropriations were secured with the support of Rep. Carson Smith and Sen. Brent Jackson.
The largest portion of the funding, $350,000, will be used for playground equipment and improvements at county-owned parks. The money will also help expand recreational opportunities by adding playgrounds in the Maple Hill and Long Creek communities.
Another $200,000 has been allocated to support a dozen organizations serving Pender County residents, including:
- WARM — $35,000
- Town of Wallace Airport — $50,000
- United Way of the Cape Fear — $20,000
- Share the Table — $15,000
- Willard Outreach — $12,000
- Cape Fear River Program — $10,000
- Pender Arts Council — $10,000
- Pender County Christian Services — $10,000
- Cape Fear Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. — $9,000
- Penderlea Homestead Museum — $9,849.50
- Town of Atkinson Library — $8,500
- Pender County Historical Society — $8,350
The remaining $70,000 will fund a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) fill station for Pender County Emergency Services. The equipment will allow firefighters and emergency personnel on the western side of the county to refill air tanks following structure fires and other extended emergency operations.
“This funding will make a meaningful difference in the lives of the residents these organizations serve, in our county parks, and in the daily work of our emergency services personnel,” Pender County Manager Colby Sawyer said in a statement. “We are grateful to Representative Carson Smith and Senator Brent Jackson for their continued support of Pender County.”
County officials said staff will now work with state agencies to finalize the timeline for receiving and administering the funds. Additional details on playground improvements and grant distribution are expected to be announced as the projects move forward.
