N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143C-3-4

Unless otherwise provided by law, budget requests from non-State entities shall be submitted to the Director or to a State agency designated by the Director. A State agency designated to receive a budget request from a non-State entity shall evaluate the request and forward its evaluation to the Director in accordance with procedures established by the Director. This section does not apply to the General Assembly or to actions of the General Assembly to appropriate funds to non-State entities.