At the February meeting, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors announced a total of $17,376,679 in funding to support job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture projects. The Board awarded $9.9 million to support 11 projects through the Community-Based Grants Initiative in the North Central Prosperity Zone, $1.2 million to support three projects through the Open Grants Program, and $1.3 million to support a SITE Program – Development project. The Board also recently approved an award of $4.8 million to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
At a special Board meeting in January, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $4,864,368 to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in Robeson County for clinical and training lab equipment to support the development of the State’s first public College of Optometric Medicine. The College will be housed in the university’s new $91 million, 74,000-square-foot Clinical Sciences Building with construction scheduled to begin in 2026 and completion anticipated in 2028. The program will use a hybrid learning model combining live patient care, simulation-based training, and clinical experiences in rural and underserved communities. The College will enroll 32 students annually.
The Golden LEAF Foundation Board awarded $9,959,051 in funding for 11 projects through the Community-Based Grants Initiative in the North Central Prosperity Zone. These projects will support job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture in Durham, Edgecombe, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Person, and Wilson counties.
- $475,000 to Durham County Cooperative Extension in Durham County to support Phase 1 of the Farm Campus project for personnel, construction, equipment, supplies, and training that will serve 425 agriculture training participants annually.
- $500,000 to Edgecombe County Public Schools in Edgecombe County to establish a welding program and lab at Tarboro High School in partnership with Edgecombe Community College, resulting in students earning industry-recognized credentials.
- $600,000 to Henderson-Oxford Airport Authority supporting Vance and Granville counties to construct a 12-inch water main extension to serve current and future hangars and support job creation.
- $750,000 to Vance-Granville Community College serving Granville, Vance, Franklin, and Warren counties for equipment, supplies, and construction of the new Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Technology, supporting workforce training in high-demand programs.
- $393,000 to Harnett County Schools in Harnett County for equipment, construction, professional development, personnel, participant support, transportation, and laptops to expand high demand Career and Technical Education pathways, dual enrollment, internships, and third-party credential access.
- $656,051 to Harnett County to support due diligence, design, engineering, and clearing/grading of 10 acres in Western Harnett Innovation Park.
- $1,500,000 to Johnston County Industrial Development Corporation in Johnston County for construction, design, engineering, and construction administration to expand and modernize the Workforce Development Center, increasing biotech training capacity and supporting new programs and industry needs.
- $2,500,000 to Central Carolina Community College serving Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties to renovate and equip a manufacturing and biotech training center serving regional workforce needs.
- $1,000,000 to Nash County to expand infrastructure, including road widening, sewer extensions, and water line upgrades, at the I-95 Industrial Center, supporting job creation and private investment in life sciences and advanced manufacturing.
- $1,000,000 to Piedmont Community College in Person County for equipment to expand and relocate the welding program to its South Campus, increasing student capacity and industry credential attainment.
- $585,000 to Wilson Community College in Wilson County to support personnel, a hydroponics lab, an irrigation system, technology equipment, and related items for the new Agribusiness Technology program.
Through the Open Grants Program, the Golden LEAF Board awarded three projects totaling $1,200,000. These projects will support workforce preparedness, agriculture, and job creation and economic investment projects in Catawba, Columbus, and Mitchell counties.
- $500,000 to Appalachian State University to equip a learning lab at the university’s Hickory campus located in Catawba County with simulation equipment, advanced clinical tools, and technology for the new DNP-FNP program addressing North Carolina’s rural healthcare workforce shortage.
- $500,000 to Mountain Community Health Partnership Incorporated to equip a new integrated healthcare clinic in Spruce Pine located in Mitchell County with essential exam room, diagnostic, and treatment equipment, creating 24 new jobs.
- $200,000 to Southeastern Community College in Columbus County to expand its high school welding program with a new mobile lab, equipment, supplies, and instructor training.
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 $1,353,260 in SITE Program – Development funding to Cherokee County Local Government in Cherokee County for design, engineering, and construction costs to extend utilities to and clear and grub the Marble Industrial Park, which will support job creation and private investment.
Since 1999, Golden LEAF has funded 2,374 projects totaling $1.5 billion supporting the mission of advancing economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities.