Pender County Receives $620,000 In State Budget Appropriations

Pender County will receive $620,000 in directed appropriations through the 2026 Appropriations Act, which is the state budget Governor Josh Stein signed into law earlier this week. The funding will support playground improvements, twelve local community organizations, and public safety equipment for Pender County Emergency Services.

Background

The 2026 Appropriations Act is North Carolina's first full biennial state budget since 2023. It was signed by Governor Stein following passage by the General Assembly and includes local appropriations directed at counties and municipalities across the state. Pender County's appropriations were included with the support of the County's legislative delegation, Representative Carson Smith and Senator Brent Jackson.

Appropriations to Pender County

• Playground Equipment and Improvements — $350,000. Funds site repairs and improvements at county-owned playgrounds, and expands safe recreational space for children and families by providing playgrounds in the Maple Hill and Long Creek communities.
• Various Grants — $200,000. Provides funding to the following organizations serving Pender County residents:

o    WARM: $35,000o    Town of Wallace Airport: $50,000
o    United Way of the Cape Fear: $20,000
o    Willard Outreach: $12,000
o    Pender County Historical Society: $8,350
o    Cape Fear Resource Conservation & Development, Inc: $9,000
o    Town of Atkinson Library: $8,500
o    Cape Fear River Program: $10,000
o    Share the Table: $15,000
o    Pender Arts Council: $10,000
o    Pender County Christian Services: $10,000
o    Penderlea Homestead Museum: $9,849.50

• Public Safety Equipment — $70,000. Funds a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) fill station, allowing Pender County Emergency Services personnel on the west side of Pender County to refill air tanks following structure fires and other extended 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," said Colby Sawyer, Pender County Manager. "We are grateful to Representative Carson Smith and Senator Brent Jackson for their continued support of Pender County."

About the Local Appropriations Process

North Carolina's state budget allows members of the General Assembly to direct funding to specific local projects within their districts through a local appropriations process. For the 2026 budget cycle, requests submitted through this process could not include K-12 public education funding or utility infrastructure funding. As a result, Pender County's requests were directed toward recreation, community organizations, and public safety equipment.

Next Steps

County staff will coordinate with the appropriate state offices on the terms and timeline for receiving and administering each appropriation. Additional information on the playground improvement timeline and the distribution of grant funding to the organizations listed above will be shared as it becomes available.

Pender County thanks Representative Smith and Senator Jackson, along with the organizations and departments that will carry this funding forward on behalf of the County's residents.