Increasing
Economic
Opportunity
in North Carolina

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.

Strategic Priority Areas

Job Creation and Economic Investment

Workforce Preparedness

Agriculture

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

How Can We Help

Potential Applicants

Current Grantees

Golden LEAF Scholarships

Golden LEAF Updates

Move the Economic Needle

Our Programs for Governmental Entities and 501(c)(3) Nonprofits

Scholarships for High School and Community College Students

Our Impact

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

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

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

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

Cleveland Community College breaks ground on advanced manufacturing center

Gaston County Schools creating an advanced manufacturing workforce through career academy

Wilkes County completes the three phases of the SITE Program

Surry and Yadkin counties invest in local workforce

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

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

Guilford County apprenticeship program recruits students into manufacturing jobs

New cooler space improves access to local foods

Golden LEAF supports entrepreneurship in the Sandhills

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

Fayetteville State University expands nursing program

Vance County wins jobs, community partner with MAKO Medical Laboratories

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

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

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

Martin Community College line technician program

College of the Albemarle machinist program helps fill employer needs

Collaboration creates workforce solutions in high-demand trades

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

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

Featured News

LevelUp Rockingham initiative builds talent pipeline for key industries

May 21, 2025

Uncategorized

Building a healthcare workforce pipeline in Cleveland County through powerful partnership

May 21, 2025

Uncategorized

Golden LEAF Scholar Alumni Spotlight: Chandler Bumgarner

Golden LEAF Scholar alumnus Chandler Bumgarner grew up in Taylorsville, N.C., in rural Alexander County, holding a sense of community close to his heart. This sense of community was significant as he began his college career at Western Carolina University. Chandler Bumgarner’s closest friends from back home attended his college with him, signifying what it meant to him to have a community and family of friends to lean on.

May 7, 2025

Scholar Spotlight

Stay in Touch

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.

The Golden LEAF Foundation

Strategic Priority Areas

Job Creation and Economic Investment

Workforce Preparedness

Agriculture

Community Competitiveness and Capacity

How Can We Help

Potential Applicants

Current Grantees

Golden LEAF Scholarships

Golden LEAF Updates

Move the Economic Needle

Our Programs for Governmental Entities and 501(c)(3) Nonprofits

Scholarships for High School and Community College Students

Our Impact

Discover Our Success Stories

Snowbird WildernessOutfitters connects to sewerto expand, create new jobs

Partnership results inanchor tenant, 263 new jobsin Henderson County

Western NC gains new jobs,increased healthcarecapacity, expandedservices despite pandemic

Cleveland CommunityCollege breaks ground onadvanced manufacturingcenter

Gaston County Schoolscreating an advancedmanufacturing workforcethrough career academy

Wilkes County completesthe three phases of theSITE Program

Surry and Yadkin countiesinvest in local workforce

Golden LEAF, partnerorganizations cut ribbon onNC Food Innovation Lab

Town of Mocksville winsnearly 400 agribusinessjobs, more to come

Guilford Countyapprenticeship programrecruits students intomanufacturing jobs

New cooler space improvesaccess to local foods

Golden LEAF supportsentrepreneurship in theSandhills

Southeastern CommunityCollege creates state-of-the-art simulation lab

Fayetteville StateUniversity expands nursingprogram

Vance County wins jobs,community partner withMAKO MedicalLaboratories

Hospital in Franklin Countycreating jobs, providingincreased access tohealthcare

Wilson Community Collegereceives Golden LEAFfunding to support thecreation of 420 jobs

East Carolina University,community collegescollaborate to buildworkforce pipeline forBioPharma Crescent

Martin Community Collegeline technician program

College of the Albemarlemachinist program helps fillemployer needs

Collaboration createsworkforce solutions in high-demand trades

Sampson CommunityCollege builds tradescenter to address localagriculture industry skillsdemand

University of Mount Olivelivestock training facility toprovide hands-on learningfor students, farmers

Featured News

LevelUp Rockingham initiative builds talent pipeline for key industries

Building a healthcare workforce pipeline in Cleveland County through powerful partnership

Golden LEAF Scholar Alumni Spotlight: Chandler Bumgarner

Stay in Touch

Subscribe to the Newsletter

The Golden LEAF
Foundation

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

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

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

Cleveland Community
College breaks ground on
advanced manufacturing
center

Gaston County Schools
creating an advanced
manufacturing workforce
through career academy

Wilkes County completes
the three phases of the
SITE Program

Surry and Yadkin counties
invest in local workforce

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

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

Guilford County
apprenticeship program
recruits students into
manufacturing jobs

New cooler space improves
access to local foods

Golden LEAF supports
entrepreneurship in the
Sandhills

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

Fayetteville State
University expands nursing
program

Vance County wins jobs,
community partner with
MAKO Medical
Laboratories

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

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

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

Martin Community College
line technician program

College of the Albemarle
machinist program helps fill
employer needs

Collaboration creates
workforce solutions in high-
demand trades

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

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