Durham commissioners approve $750,000 ARPA grant for Knox Street Studios after split vote

The Durham County Board of Commissioners approved a $750,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Phase 2 small business support grant to AB Community, doing business as Knox Street Studios, on April 29, 2024.

Commissioner Heidi Carter moved to approve the funding and Commissioner Wendy Jacobs seconded the motion; the board voted 4–1 in favor with Commissioner Brenda Howerton casting the lone “nay.” Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Howerton had asked to postpone consideration of the item until the May 7 work session so Knox Street could present details about how the funds would be spent, but that motion failed.

County Economic Development Director Andy Miracle responded to questions about spending, saying “half of the funding could be spent on staffing,” and County Manager Sowell recommended that Knox Street Studios and Forward Cities present to the board at an upcoming meeting to provide additional information.

The board’s action authorizes the $750,000 payment to Knox Street Studios under the ARPA nonprofit grant program. The approval follows the board’s standard consent and pull process: the item was pulled from the consent agenda for separate consideration before the final vote.

Next steps: Knox Street Studios and Forward Cities are expected to brief the board in a future meeting with details on program design and use of funds.