North Carolina is making another effort at freezing the state's 12.5% by 2021 renewable energy standard, via a bill introduced by lawmaker Chris Millis. Arguing that the mandate that requires state utilities to purchase some of their energy from renewable sources is overly expensive, Millis said that the state has given US $1.6 billion in tax credits to renewable energy firms since 2010.

A key North Carolina state senator wants to change how the state's primary economic incentives tool is used and promoted so that more benefits go to companies that promise to create jobs in the state's poorer regions. Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown of Jacksonville is an author of a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate Finance Committee that addresses the Job Development Investment Grant.

Canadian Solar Inc., one of the world's largest solar power companies, today announced that it has secured financing for its 92 MWp IS-42 solar power project near Fayetteville, North Carolina.  The financing is in the form of a debt facility with Prudential Capital Group and a tax equity investment commitment from U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation (USBCDC). 

Coastal North Carolina could be looking into a budgetary abyss if local and state entities don't adapt quickly to new funding realities.

Lured at least in part by millions in state tax incentives, Facebook will pour at least $200 million, likely much more, into building a 970,000-square-foot data center campus south of Papillion.

CDFA is accepting sessions submissions for the 2017 National Development Finance Summit in Atlanta this November. Session submissions on deals, projects or programs that include multiple funding sources are highly encouraged. Submissions are due by May 12, 2017.

Trilliant Networks will establish its global headquarters in the Research Triangle Area, creating 130 jobs over the next five years. Trilliant's expansion in Wake County will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force released its long awaited report on how to improve economic mobility for the city's poor which included concrete recommendations for affordable housing. Among the recommendations are a three fold increase in affordable housing bonds and to explore more tax incentives.

This course brings TIF deal-making and best practices into focus through a two-day program targeting the entire TIF community including economic developers, public agency representatives, bond issuers, legal professionals, developers, financial advisors, and other stakeholders. 

The Intro Food Systems Finance WebCourse examines the development finance programs that sustain a local food system and how investments in that system can drive economic development on a broader scale. Topics covered include federal, state, and local sources of capital, stakeholders involved in the financing process, and case study examples that showcase the variety of financing programs.