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Increasing
Economic
Opportunity
in North Carolina
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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 more than 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.

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Strategic Priority Areas

Job Creation and Economic Investment

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Workforce Preparedness

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Agriculture

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Downtown of a small city in North Carolina

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

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How Can We Help

Potential Applicants

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Current Grantees

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Golden LEAF Scholarships

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Golden LEAF Updates

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Take the Funding 101 Quiz

Move the Economic Needle

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Our Programs for Governmental Entities and 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
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Scholarships for High School and Community College Students

Our Impact

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For more than 25 years, the Foundation has provided lasting impact to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and rural areas of the state. See our fiscal year 2025 impact below:

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

Discover Our Success Stories

North Carolina State Map
Baptists on Mission help families return to their homes in Western North Carolina

Baptists on Mission help families
return to their homes
in Western North Carolina

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Covered riding arena at Isothermal Community College supports booming Agribusiness and Equine workforce

Covered riding arena at
Isothermal Community College
supports booming
Agribusiness and Equine workforce

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Building a skilled workforce from the ground up in Madison County

Building a skilled workforce
from the ground up
in Madison County

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

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

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Building a healthcare workforce pipeline in Cleveland County through powerful partnership

Cleveland Community
College breaks ground on
advanced manufacturing
center

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Gaston County Schools creating an advanced manufacturing workforce through career academy

Gaston County Schools
creating an advanced
manufacturing workforce
through career academy

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Wilkes County completes the three phases of the SITE Program

Wilkes County completes
the three phases of the
SITE Program

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Surry and Yadkin counties invest in local workforce

Surry and Yadkin counties
invest in local workforce

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Infrastructure propels economic growth in Stanly County

Infrastructure propels economic
growth in Stanly County

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Funding, partnerships essential to recruiting Ross Distribution Center, bringing 852 jobs to Randolph County

Funding, partnerships
essential to recruiting
Ross Distribution Center,
bringing 852 jobs to
Randolph County

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

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

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LevelUp Rockingham initiative builds talent pipeline for key industries

LevelUp Rockingham
initiative builds talent pipeline
for key industries

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New cooler space improves access to local foods

New cooler space improves
access to local foods

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Montgomery Community College cultivates advanced agriculture program

Montgomery Community
College cultivates
advanced agriculture
program

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

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

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Healthcare workforce programs deliver strong economic impact in Southeastern North Carolina

Healthcare workforce programs
deliver strong economic
impact in Southeastern
North Carolina

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

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

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Warren County’s SITE Program Journey: From Identification to Development

Warren County’s SITE
Program Journey: From
Identification to
Development

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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

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Expanding Access to Dental Care and Creating Jobs in Bertie County

Expanding Access to Dental Care
and Creating Jobs in Bertie County

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College of the Albemarle machinist program helps fill employer needs

College of the Albemarle
machinist program helps fill
employer needs

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Collaboration creates workforce solutions in high-demand trades

Collaboration creates
workforce solutions in high-
demand trades

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CommWell Health of Newton Grove/Spivey’s Corner is creating jobs and expanding access to rural healthcare

CommWell Health of Newton Grove/
Spivey’s Corner is creating jobs
and expanding access to rural healthcare

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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

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Golden LEAF announces $6 million in funding at June meeting

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C., (June 4, 2026) – Today, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded a total of $6 million in funding to support job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture projects. The Golden LEAF Board awarded $1 million to support three projects through the Open Grants Program, $2 million to support two projects in a special healthcare workforce program, $1.9 million to support one Economic Catalyst project, $1 million to support one project through the SPARC initiative, and $100,000 to support one project developed through the NC Ag Leads initiative.
June 4, 2026
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Hamilton to retire from Golden LEAF at the end of 2026

ROCKY MOUNT (June 4, 2026) – The Board of Directors of Golden LEAF Foundation today announced President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton will retire at the end of this year following a distinguished career of leadership and service to North Carolina.  Hamilton has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2019. Under his leadership, Golden LEAF strengthened its commitment to advancing economic opportunity through investments that led to the creation of new jobs, improved workforce preparedness, and supported agriculture across rural North Carolina.
June 4, 2026
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Middle school career labs support workforce pipeline for high-demand careers

Two middle schools in Wilson County are helping students think about their futures long before they reach high school through the College and Career Exploration Labs at Darden and Speight Middle Schools. The labs were designed to give middle school students hands-on experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world careers. Students explore a variety of high-demand fields through interactive modules focused on Biomedical Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies, Electricity and Electronics, Structural Engineering, Health Science Careers, Computer Drafting and Design, Environment and Ecology, and other career pathways tied to workforce preparedness.
May 27, 2026

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