Media Relations

Jenny Tinklepaugh
jtinklepaugh@goldenleaf.org
888-684-8404

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Press Release

 
Greetings—

Golden LEAF has several grant programs that eligible entities [501(c)(3) nonprofits and governmental entities] can apply to, including:

• Golden LEAF’s Open Grants Program is open to all eligible entities seeking grants. The program has a rolling deadline and is focused in the areas of Agriculture, Job Creation and Retention and Workforce Preparedness. Click here for more information about applying for an Open Grants Program grant.
• The Foundation’s Economic Catalyst Cycle awards job creation assistance grants to eligible entities who help industry locate or expand in the state through eligible activities. Project requests in this category must be for job creation and “at risk” without Golden LEAF participation. Click here for more information about the program and how to apply for an Economic Catalyst Cycle grant.
• The Community Assistance Initiative is a facilitated grant process targeting the needs of communities designated “Tier 1” by the NC Department of Commerce. Click here to read more about the Community Assistance Initiative.
  

The Golden LEAF Foundation has an open door policy. Applicants seeking funding are encouraged to contact Golden LEAF for more information regarding the grants application process and funding priorities. In addition, staff is available to discuss and give feedback on proposal ideas.
 
In this edition of “Golden LEAF News,” read about the Golden LEAF Community Assistance Initiative in Wayne and Cleveland counties. Also featured are Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Initiative projects in Wayne, Richmond and Rowan counties. There is news within about biotechnology training in North Carolina, a job creation project in Lenoir County, a statewide local foods campaign, and a landfill gas project in Columbus County.

Best,

Jenny Tinklepaugh
Program/ Communications Officer
jtinklepaugh@goldenleaf.org
www.goldenleaf.org

In this edition of "Golden LEAF News":

How Should Golden LEAF Foundation Invest $2 Million In Wayne County?
Goldsboro Daily News
Wayne County citizens are invited to participate in the Golden LEAF Community Assistance Initiative. The initiative provides local nonprofits and governmental entities with the opportunity for approximately $2 million in grant funding after a series of public meetings to determine the priorities for the community. At its first meeting in February, a list of facts and needs were brainstormed and gathered to create a foundation for making decisions. The list includes issues and assets for 5 major categories including “Economic Development and Infrastructure”, “Education and Workforce Development”, and “Health and Wellness”. 

New Learning Modes: Golden LEAF grant jump-starts NMS' STEM program
Wayne-Wilson News Leader
Norwayne Middle School’s new state-of-the-art computer learning focuses on STEM — Science, Technology, Engineering and Math — methodology, with 14 computer workstations designed to provide students with hands-on cooperative learning opportunities in alternative energy, CAD, electricity, forensic science, robots, plastics and polymers, and video production, among others. Students will also learn how these various areas are connected to careers in local industries. The center was made possible through the Golden LEAF STEM Initiative. Last fall, the Golden LEAF grant was awarded to the North Carolina’s Eastern Region, which then funded similar projects in four eastern counties — Craven, Jones, Lenoir and Wayne. It amounted to about $60,000 for Norwayne’s center.

North Carolina Biotechnology:  From Dream to Reality
Site Selection magazine
The threat of the next flu pandemic brought Novartis and the United States government together to draft a comprehensive plan for outbreak preparedness. The ability of North Carolina to train the work force needed to implement that plan brought Novartis to the Tar Heel State. How Novartis' new plant went from concept to completion is a story very closely intertwined with North Carolina's strategy to become a global leader in the training and equipping of a 21st century biotechnology work force. Read the article to learn more about the partnership between Novartis and the North Carolina State University's BTEC program, the BioNetwork community college program and BRITE. Golden LEAF provided start-up funding for BTEC, BRITE, and the BioNetwork.

Debut set for Cleveland County’s conference center
Charlotte Business Journal
This summer, Cleveland County will open a facility that will help lengthen the county’s run of recent economic-development wins. The LeGrand Conference Center, supported by a Golden LEAF Community Assistance grant, is part of a larger, $21 million facility on the campus of Cleveland Community College in Shelby. Its purpose: to help the county’s economic-development efforts. Tucked away inside the 89,000-square-foot facility are three interview and negotiating rooms designed for private discussions on bringing business and industry to the county. Cleveland County has had recent success bringing in business through its T5 Data Park. Last month, AT&T Inc. announced it would build a $200 million data center in Kings Mountain. The Walt Disney Co. is building a $200 million center in the same park. The T5 Data Park is supported by a Golden LEAF grant.

Site Selection magazine recognizes Kinston economic growth
Kinston Free Press
The March 2011 edition of Site Selection magazine featured a profile on the decision of Spirit AeroSystems to establish a plant in Kinston. The magazine rated Kinston as one of the top micropolitan areas for business in 2011. Featured in the article were the reasons Spirit selected Kinston, including its proximity to ports in Morehead City and Wilmington, planned improvements to the rail and highways serving the TransPark, financial support from the county, state and Golden LEAF Foundation, and the quality of the local workforce — which included military retirees — and community colleges, which would train prospective workers. At least 260 people work for Spirit’s Kinston plant now, and company officials plan to expand the workforce to 1,000 in the next five years. Click here to read the full article.

10 Percent Campaign: Spend a tenth of your food budget on local sources
Salisbury Post
In an effort to help North Carolina’s agriculture economy, many businesses and residents are participating in the 10 Percent Campaign. The campaign promotes the growth, distribution and purchase of locally produced food in the state. Beginning in 2007, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) began searching for ways to build a sustainable statewide food economy. Partnering with the N.C. Department of Agriculture, N.C. State and N.C. A&T universities, with funding through the Golden LEAF Foundation, 10 Percent launched in July 2010. Since July 2010, the 10% campaign has had 4,657 people join, 542 businesses and to date, spending over $14 million locally. For more information, go to http://www.ncsu.edu/project/nc10percent/index.php, or contact your local Cooperative Extension office.

Landfill gas project has flare station
Whiteville News Reporter
The Columbus County landfill gas project is nearly complete. The project will harness methane and other gases from the buried and decomposing trash, convert it to heat greenhouses and flare it to generate carbon credits for cash. The project includes a greenhouse incubator for Southeastern Community College’s Ag-biotech program that could lure future greenhouse businesses to the site. The county won a $544,500 grant from the N.C. Department of Commerce for the system. The planning process began in 2006 with the county being one of several in the state with a landfill that the Appalachian State University Energy Center identified for the Community Ties project, supported by a Golden LEAF grant. Officials said the county could see revenue of $30,000 to $35,000 a year from the project.

Students gear up for competition at the dragway
Richmond County Daily Journal
A few of Richmond County’s students have been working on special projects since September, and will finally reveal their designs Saturday at the Rockingham Dragway. 280 eighth graders from Richmond, Cabarrus and Rowan counties have been creating contraptions for the BioMoto STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Challenge, a science, technology, engineering and math competition. Eight of the 32 competing teams are from Richmond County. The project was funded through a Golden LEAF Foundation grant.

BioMoto project helps students improve fitness, confidence
Salisbury Post
The BioMoto project, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiative, combines exercise science with the science behind motorsports. 64 eighth-graders in the Rowan-Salisbury School System are participating in the program, which is aimed at under-represented populations such as girls and economically disadvantaged students. West Rowan, North Rowan, Erwin and Corriher-Lipe middle schools each have 16 students split into two eight-person teams. Students from the Cabarrus and Richmond county school systems as well as the Kannapolis City district are also participating in the initiative, which is being paid for by a $300,000, three-year grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation.
 

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