Please see the information below about Golden LEAF’s past 10 years of Past Initiatives and Programs to align with the information available in the Grants Search Database.
In 2022, the North Carolina General Assembly appropriated $25 million to the Golden LEAF Foundation to award funds to local governments for public infrastructure projects that mitigate the effects of flooding. The program was intended to reduce the long-term economic impact of flooding on communities by improving public infrastructure. Projects could include stormwater improvements, drainage system upgrades, and flood prevention infrastructure. Local governments were eligible to apply for funding of up to $2 million per project with most projects not exceeding $1 million.
From 2022-2024, the Golden LEAF Board awarded 75 Flood Mitigation Program projects totaling $25 million.
The Golden LEAF Opportunities for Work (GLOW) initiative was designed to help working-age adults with barriers to employment gain the knowledge, skills, and support needed to secure quality jobs, while providing employers with the skilled workforce required to meet regional needs. The program was developed at a time when both labor force participation and unemployment were low, with the goal of expanding workforce participation across rural and economically distressed communities. The initiative focused on closing the skills gap by targeting working-age adults who face barriers to employment, are underemployed, or experiencing long-term unemployment; increasing post-secondary credential attainment and expanding opportunities for adults to gain marketable skills; preparing individuals for employment in high-demand fields within their local or regional economies; raising labor force participation rates and strengthening the skilled workforce pipeline.
In 2020, the Golden LEAF awarded $3.49 million to support 10 GLOW projects.
In 2018, the North Carolina Governor provided funds to the Golden LEAF Foundation through the NC Disaster Relief Fund to implement the Disaster Relief Grant Program supporting recovery from Hurricane Florence. The program was established to assist local governments and nonprofit organizations with recovery needs following the storm. Units of local government and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in North Carolina were eligible to apply for repair or replacement of vehicles, equipment, facilities, and water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure.
Golden LEAF awarded $5.6 million to eligible organizations to support Hurricane Florence Relief efforts in 2018 and 2019.
Through the Disaster Recovery Acts of 2016, 2017, and 2018, the State of North Carolina provided $60 million to the Golden LEAF Foundation to support recovery from Hurricane Matthew, the western wildfires, Tropical Storm Julia, and Tropical Storm Hermine. The program was established to help communities rebuild and strengthen public infrastructure following natural disasters. Local governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations were eligible to apply for repair or replacement of existing infrastructure, infrastructure to support new housing development, repair or replacement of equipment, and construction, replacement, or improvement of public infrastructure to support hazard mitigation.
At the October 2018 legislative Hurricane Florence session, $20 million was appropriated to the Golden LEAF Foundation for grants to support local government infrastructure and equipment repair and replacement. Eligible projects include repair or replacement of vehicles, equipment, facilities, water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.
From 2017-2020, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $97 million to support 209 Disaster Recovery Grant Program projects.
The Disaster Recovery Act of 2016 appropriated $5 million to the Golden LEAF Foundation to provide grants to organizations capable of making loans to small businesses impacted by Hurricane Matthew, the western wildfires, and Tropical Storms Julia and Hermine. As a result of these natural disasters, more than 30,000 businesses suffered physical or economic damage affecting over 400,000 employees. Eligible applicants included 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and governmental entities with demonstrated experience in small business lending. Preference was given to applicants with established small business loan programs.
In April 2017, Golden LEAF awarded a total of $5 million to the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center, the Carolina Small Business Development Fund, and the North Carolina Community Development Initiative Capital, Inc. to provide loans to affected small and medium-sized businesses.
Launched in 2016, the Major Site Development Initiative was developed to prepare large industrial sites to attract major employers to rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed areas of North Carolina. Awarded projects have the potential to attract employers that create a large number of jobs and have a significant positive effect on local, regional, and state economies. The initiative funded construction or improvement of public infrastructure for publicly owned or controlled industrial sites, including water, sewer, and road infrastructure. Eligible applicants included local governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations working to advance site readiness and regional competitiveness.
In 2016, Golden LEAF awarded five grants totaling $25 million. The N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority awarded an additional $10 million to support five projects through the Major Site Development Initiative.
Launched in 2015, the Golden LEAF Health Care Workforce Initiative was created to reduce shortages of professional and highly skilled health care workers in rural and underserved areas of North Carolina. Funding was for up to $500,000 per project and targeted programs that combined education, training, and job placement in rural health care settings. The initiative supported projects that increased access to health care and created employment opportunities in the health sector. The initiative funded projects that increased the number of practitioners and skilled health care workers in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Persistent Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (PHPSAs) and/or developed or expanded innovative, community-based health care delivery models that support job creation and retention for health care professionals in rural North Carolina. Eligible applicants included local governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations institutions collaborating on workforce development strategies.
In 2015, the Golden LEAF Board awarded more than $2.5 million in Health Care Workforce Initiative funding to support nine projects.
