ROCKY MOUNT, N.C., (August 6, 2026) – Today, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded a total of $16.7 million in funding to support job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture projects. The Golden LEAF Board awarded $1.7 million to support four projects through the Open Grants Program, $3 million to support two projects in the SITE Program, and $1 million for an Economic Catalyst project. The Golden LEAF Board awarded $456,000 to continue the work of the NC Ag Leads Initiative and $10 million to establish the Rural Entrepreneurship Regional Constellation program. The Golden LEAF Board also approved $499,406 in additional funding for previously awarded projects.
Golden LEAF Vice President/Chief of Staff Kasey Ginsberg is starting a new position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on August 10. At the meeting, the Golden LEAF Board thanked her for nine years of leadership at Golden LEAF.
“Kasey’s work has helped strengthen the Foundation’s strategic direction and streamline its processes,” said Golden LEAF Board Chair Brian Raynor. “She played a leading role in developing and administering state-appropriated programs, as well as advancing key Golden LEAF initiatives. We thank her for her service and wish her continued success in this next chapter.”
At the meeting, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $10 million to NC IDEA to establish the Rural Entrepreneurship Regional Constellation program, a coalition-based initiative that will strengthen entrepreneurial support systems in rural North Carolina. Participating entrepreneurs and small business owners will receive services such as mentorship, business acceleration, and legal, financial, and marketing assistance for early-stage businesses. NC IDEA projects that over five years, the regional ecosystems will support 1,800 early-stage companies, create 2,000 jobs, and generate $40 million in capital. The program is planned to launch later this year.
NC Ag Leads is the strategic planning initiative for the North Carolina agriculture industry to position the state’s number one economic driver for continued success. NC Ag Leads brings together stakeholders to address industry-wide, cross-cutting topics that impact commodities grown in North Carolina and charts a course that strengthens North Carolina’s position as a leader for agriculture and agribusiness in the United States. Golden LEAF is the key funder of NC Ag Leads. At the meeting, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $456,000 to the NC Chamber Foundation to continue NC Ag Leads strategic planning. The NC Chamber Foundation will administer the three Golden LEAF-funded projects for NC Ag Leads, continue engagement with stakeholders, and reassess issues facing the agriculture industry in North Carolina to consider potential revisions or additions to the plan.
In the Economic Catalyst Program, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $1 million to the City of Sanford in Lee County to construct water infrastructure that will increase the capacity of the city’s water system and serve STERIS, which has announced its plans to locate a new manufacturing and research and development facility in the city. The company will create 335 jobs paying an average annual wage of over $71,000 and make a capital investment of $600 million.
Through the Open Grants Program, the Golden LEAF Board awarded four projects totaling $1,753,875. These projects will support workforce preparedness and job creation and economic investment projects in Cumberland, Johnston, Onslow, and Richmond counties.
- $500,000 to Fayetteville State University in Cumberland County for the purchase of high-fidelity mannequins for an additional simulation lab that will support the expansion of the nursing program.
- $304,630 to Richmond Community College in Richmond County for equipment, software, industry tools, and instructor salaries to launch an automotive technician training program.
- $450,000 to Goshen Medical Center, Inc. to purchase equipment and medical furnishings for a new health center in Sneads Ferry in Onslow County, projected to serve at least 1,400 patients and create more than 20 full-time jobs.
- $499,245 to Johnston Community College in Johnston County for specialized equipment and instructional technology to launch an AAS degree in Respiratory Therapy.
The SITE Program offers resources to help communities identify potential sites for economic development, provides funding to complete due diligence on publicly controlled sites, and provides funding to extend public utilities to publicly controlled sites or to conduct clearing and grading of publicly owned sites. The three phases of the SITE Program are Identification, Due Diligence, and Development. The Golden LEAF Board awarded two SITE Program – Development projects totaling $3 million to projects in Caldwell and Cleveland counties.
- $1,500,000 to Cleveland County for construction of a waterline extension, grading, and related site-preparation costs for the 107-acre Farmville Road site, which will support job creation and private investment.
- $1,500,000 to Caldwell County for construction and related costs to extend sewer to Foothills Regional Airport Industrial Park, which will support job creation and private investment.
“The projects approved by the Board today demonstrate the importance of having a funding strategy that creates lasting economic opportunity,” said Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton. “From supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening agriculture to preparing industrial sites and building new training programs, these projects will grow the skilled workforce, support the agricultural economy, and help create jobs, especially in rural North Carolina.”
The State of North Carolina appropriated the Golden LEAF Foundation $25 million for a Flood Mitigation Program. The Golden LEAF Board approved $291,750 in funding to the City of Boiling Spring Lakes in Brunswick County for improvements to natural stormwater infrastructure downstream of Redwood Road, including roads north of North Lake, between Patricia and Pine Lakes, east of Hwy 87, and Elm Road to reduce flooding. The Board also approved an additional $207,656 to the City of New Bern in Craven County for the Elizabeth Avenue project due to increased costs, bringing the total Golden LEAF funding for that project to $457,656.
Since 1999, Golden LEAF has funded 2,399 projects totaling $1.5 billion supporting the mission of advancing economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities.
About Golden LEAF
The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers. 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.
For more than 25 years, the Foundation has provided lasting impact to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and rural areas of the state. In fiscal year 2025, Golden LEAF helped create 1,665 jobs, more than $116 million in new payrolls, and more than 4,722 workers trained or retrained for higher wages.
For more information about Golden LEAF and our programs, please visit our website at GoldenLEAF.org.
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