City of Hickory Business e-Newsletter | August 2025
NCIDEA Fall 2025 Grant Resources
Whether you have just launched a startup or are looking to grow and scale your company, NC IDEA has resources that can help in the success of your journey when and where you need it most.
Early stage, growth-oriented companies can apply for one of two different NC IDEA grants:
NC IDEA MICRO awards $10K project-based grants to young companies looking to validate assumptions and develop a business model.
NC IDEA SEED offers $50K grants to early stage companies, often the critical funding they need to scale faster.
Please note: Applicants may only apply to either MICRO or SEED (not both) during the grant cycle. The application portal is open through Aug. 25 (5 p.m. EST).
The Western Piedmont Council of Governments recently published the Summer 2025 version of the Economic Indicators newsletter. The report highlights the regional labor force, per capita personal income, and the current employment statistics compared with other regions.
Creating Outdoor Recreation Economies (CORE) - Hickory is a group of local outdoor-related business leaders, owners, and local entrepreneurial support resources. We value your input as an outdoor-related business and invite you to share your perspectives on the group's role and the future direction of our city's outdoor efforts.
The City of Hickory will host the 2025 NC BikeWalk Transportation Summit from Sept. 7–9. The event, coordinated by BikeWalkNC, brings together state and local transportation leaders, engineers, law enforcement, planners, and advocates to share practical strategies to reduce traffic deaths and improve access, safety, and quality of life for all road users.
The City of Hickory is committed to promoting business and economic development and offers a range of incentives to new and expanding businesses. For more information on available programs and incentives, visit Business Developmentor contact Dave Leonetti in the Office of Business Development at 828-323-7422.
