Golden Leaf Foundation logo
Search icon
Increasing
Economic
Opportunity
in North Carolina
underline squiggle

The Golden LEAF
Foundation

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding received from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. For 25 years, Golden LEAF has worked to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

Learn More About Us

Strategic Priority Areas

Job Creation and Economic Investment

underline squiggle

Workforce Preparedness

underline squiggle

Agriculture

underline squiggle
Downtown of a small city in North Carolina

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

underline squiggle

How Can We Help

Potential Applicants

underline squiggle

Current Grantees

underline squiggle

Golden LEAF Scholarships

underline squiggle

Golden LEAF Updates

underline squiggle
Take the Funding 101 Quiz

Move the Economic Needle

Smiling student in front of a classroom

Our Programs for Governmental Entities and 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
students sitting at a table conversing

Scholarships for High School and Community College Students

Our Impact

underline squiggle

Since its inception in 1999, Golden LEAF has provided lasting impact to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and rural areas of the state helping build both human and physical infrastructure.

Jobs Created
0 +
In New Payroll
$ 0 M+
Workers trained across N.C.
0 +

Discover Our Success Stories

North Carolina State Map
Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters connects to sewer to expand, create new jobs

Snowbird Wilderness
Outfitters connects to sewer
to expand, create new jobs

Learn More

Partnership results in anchor tenant, 263 new jobs in Henderson County

Partnership results in
anchor tenant, 263 new jobs
in Henderson County

Learn More

Western NC gains new jobs, increased healthcare capacity, expanded services despite pandemic

Western NC gains new jobs,
increased healthcare
capacity, expanded
services despite pandemic

Learn More

Building a healthcare workforce pipeline in Cleveland County through powerful partnership

Cleveland Community
College breaks ground on
advanced manufacturing
center

Learn More

Gaston County Schools creating an advanced manufacturing workforce through career academy

Gaston County Schools
creating an advanced
manufacturing workforce
through career academy

Learn More

Wilkes County completes the three phases of the SITE Program

Wilkes County completes
the three phases of the
SITE Program

Learn More

Surry and Yadkin counties invest in local workforce

Surry and Yadkin counties
invest in local workforce

Learn More

Golden LEAF, partner organizations cut ribbon on NC Food Innovation Lab

Golden LEAF, partner
organizations cut ribbon on
NC Food Innovation Lab

Learn More

Town of Mocksville wins nearly 400 agribusiness jobs, more to come

Town of Mocksville wins
nearly 400 agribusiness
jobs, more to come

Learn More

LevelUp Rockingham initiative builds talent pipeline for key industries

LevelUp Rockingham
initiative builds talent pipeline
for key industries

Learn More

New cooler space improves access to local foods

New cooler space improves
access to local foods

Learn More

Golden LEAF supports entrepreneurship in the Sandhills

Golden LEAF supports
entrepreneurship in the
Sandhills

Learn More

Southeastern Community College creates state-of-the-art simulation lab

Southeastern Community
College creates state-of-
the-art simulation lab

Learn More

Fayetteville State University expands nursing program

Fayetteville State
University expands nursing
program

Learn More

Hospital in Franklin County creating jobs, providing increased access to healthcare

Hospital in Franklin County
creating jobs, providing
increased access to
healthcare

Learn More

Wilson Community College receives Golden LEAF funding to support the creation of 420 jobs

Wilson Community College
receives Golden LEAF
funding to support the
creation of 420 jobs

Learn More

East Carolina University, community colleges collaborate to build workforce pipeline for BioPharma Crescent

East Carolina University,
community colleges
collaborate to build
workforce pipeline for
BioPharma Crescent

Learn More

Martin Community College line technician program

Martin Community College
line technician program

Learn More

College of the Albemarle machinist program helps fill employer needs

College of the Albemarle
machinist program helps fill
employer needs

Learn More

Collaboration creates workforce solutions in high-demand trades

Collaboration creates
workforce solutions in high-
demand trades

Learn More

Sampson Community College builds trades center to address local agriculture industry skills demand

Sampson Community
College builds trades
center to address local
agriculture industry skills
demand

Learn More

University of Mount Olive livestock training facility to provide hands-on learning for students, farmers

University of Mount Olive
livestock training facility to
provide hands-on learning
for students, farmers

Learn More

Featured News

Scholar-Spotlight-15

Golden LEAF announces $8.4 million in funding, welcomes new Board member

Today, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded a total of $8 million in funding to support long-term economic advancement. The Golden LEAF Board awarded $2.7 million to support seven projects through the Open Grants Program, $749,732 to support a SITE Program project, and $1 million to support a project at East Carolina University. The Golden LEAF Board awarded an additional $220,000 for Hurricane Helene relief and $502,411 in the Flood Mitigation Program. The Board also approved $2.9 million in funding for the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority to administer the Golden LEAF Colleges and Universities Scholarship.
October 2, 2025
Copy of Scholar Spotlight (59)

Eastern and Western North Carolina food hubs expand opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs

Food hubs in both Eastern and Western North Carolina are working to grow their reach, support more farmers, and increase access to local food thanks in part to strategic funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation. Across Southeastern North Carolina, Feast Down East is scaling its operations to meet rising demand from farmers and buyers. The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors awarded Feast Down East $250,000 through the Open Grants Program to increase refrigeration and storage capacity at its Burgaw food hub and Wilmington satellite location.
September 24, 2025
Copy of Scholar Spotlight (60)

Golden LEAF supports training and employer growth of booming horticultural industry in Western North Carolina  

The horticultural industry in Western North Carolina is booming, driving both economic growth and workforce demand. To meet this need, the Golden LEAF Foundation has funded projects to help with both the training and infrastructure required to prepare the next generation of skilled professionals to strengthen the state’s number one industry, agriculture.
September 24, 2025

Stay in Touch

hand interacting with a tablet

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Stay connected with Golden LEAF by signing up for our e-newsletter. You can also follow us on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Subscribe