The Town of Columbus announced its receipt of a $22,000 grant from the North Carolina Economic Development Center for a “planning study” for its water system. The news release identified the NCEDC as a private organization. It is so private, it lists the NC General Assembly as its sustaining public partner, and the NC Community College System, the Golden LEAF Foundation, the NC Department of Commerce, the NC Tobacco Trust Fund, the USDA, the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of Labor, and the US Small Business Administration as grantors.