NC non-profits eligible for $4.5 million in grants
Funds from wrongdoers will go to fight fraud, improve health care in NC
Raleigh: Projects to protect North Carolina consumers, improve health care, and fight fraud against seniors, military personnel and veterans are now eligible for up to $4.5 million in grants, Attorney General Roy Cooper announced Thursday.
“When scams and shady businesses target North Carolinians, our goal is to stop the harm and try to win money back for consumers whenever possible,” Cooper said. “We’ve also won money from wrongdoers that can help worthy projects in North Carolina through these grants.”
Non-profits, educational and health care institutions, and public agencies can apply grants for projects in North Carolina at ncdoj.gov/consumergrants.aspx. Applications for the first round of grants are due by February 17, with initial funds set to be awarded by May 15.
The grants are made possible by court cases and legal settlements won by Cooper and his Consumer Protection Division. Settlement funds have previously gone to educate consumers, support local food banks, help struggling homeowners, and give patients access to needed medicines.
Consumer protection court orders and settlements often include direct refunds to consumers and require defendants to give up their ill-gotten profits. In cases where funds cannot be returned directly to consumers, the court may order that the money go to programs that benefit consumers who were harmed by the unlawful acts or for general consumer protection purposes. Cooper has established the Consumer Protection Grants program to help award those funds to deserving projects.
The Attorney General’s office plans to award six cycles of grants through March of 2015. Each cycle will be worth up to $750,000, for a total of as much as $4.5 million in grant funds awarded.
Applications will be accepted for projects in the following areas:
· Health care, including projects on general health care, prescription drug abuse, and mental illness.
· Senior fraud, including projects to reduce fraud that targets seniors and strengthen consumer protections for the elderly.
· Military/Veteran fraud, including projects that provide training, support and other services to reduce fraud that targets active military and veterans.
· Consumer protection, including projects that help NC consumers recognize, avoid and challenge unfair business practices.
State law gives the Attorney General authority to protect North Carolina consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division helps resolve complaints between businesses and consumers, conducts consumer education programs, advocates legislative changes, and takes legal action when necessary to enforce the law against violators.
Consumers can call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina for help or file a complaint online atncdoj.gov.
More information about the grant program is available at ncdoj.gov/consumergrants.aspx.
