The Golden LEAF Foundation has set aside at least $2 million a year for five years to fund a strategic collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that brings the intellectual capital and assets of the University to bear on tobacco dependent and economically distressed areas of the state. Projects funded through the collaboration will fit into two broad approaches: 1) systemic or long-term capacity building required to create competitive communities over time and 2) rapid response projects intended to address immediate needs facing rural, distressed communities. Areas of need include: assistance to rural businesses, tourism, leadership development, program evaluation, professional economic development education, and K-12 education. This Golden LEAF grant will support the work of a project coordinator to manage the day-to-day activities of the collaboration, coordinate communication within the University and with Golden LEAF, develop projects for approval by Golden LEAF, identify assets to be used to implement projects, and oversee execution of funded projects.
