Access to a skilled healthcare workforce is critical to the economic vitality of rural North Carolina. Healthcare professionals provide essential services that support the health and well-being of residents while helping rural communities attract and retain businesses and workers.
In April 2025, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors began developing a funding opportunity to support the expansion of healthcare workforce training programs across the state. Through the Open Grants Program, eligible entities developing healthcare workforce training programs with capital budgets of at least $10 million can request up to $1 million for training equipment and related capital expenses.
To date, the Golden LEAF Board has awarded $3.5 million to four community colleges through this funding opportunity, supporting major investments in healthcare education facilities and equipment that will expand training capacity and prepare more students for in-demand healthcare careers.
Gaston College – Gaston County
In June 2026, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $1 million to Gaston College to support the purchase and installation of equipment for immersive simulation laboratories in a new 80,000-square-foot Health Sciences building. Supported by $60 million in State funding, the facility will expand healthcare education programs and provide students with hands-on training using equipment that reflects real-world healthcare settings.
Roanoke-Chowan Community College – Hertford County
The Golden LEAF Board awarded $1 million to Roanoke-Chowan Community College in June 2026 to support training equipment, installation, and related professional development for an Allied Health expansion project. The project includes a new training facility on the college’s Hertford County campus, supported by $15 million in State funding. The expansion will strengthen healthcare workforce training opportunities in northeastern North Carolina and help prepare more qualified professionals to meet regional healthcare needs.
Isothermal Community College – Rutherford and Polk Counties
In December 2025, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $1 million to Isothermal Community College to support the expansion of high-demand healthcare training programs serving Rutherford and Polk counties. Golden LEAF funding will support the purchase of healthcare simulation equipment, computers, software, and IT infrastructure for a new healthcare training facility supported by $30 million in State funding. The investment will help expand the college’s capacity to prepare healthcare professionals and address workforce needs in western North Carolina.
Sampson Community College – Sampson County
Sampson Community College was awarded $500,000 in August 2025 by the Golden LEAF Board to purchase equipment for a new Health Sciences Building, supported by $15 million in State funding. The facility will feature modern classrooms, simulation laboratories, and hands-on training spaces to expand programs in Nursing, Medical Assisting, Paramedic, and Nurse Aide. The project is expected to increase the number of healthcare graduates and students earning industry-recognized credentials, helping address healthcare workforce shortages in rural southeastern North Carolina.
Strengthening the rural healthcare workforce
These investments demonstrate Golden LEAF’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline through partnerships with educational institutions and other funding partners. By supporting the equipment needed to train healthcare professionals in modern facilities, Golden LEAF is helping colleges expand their capacity to prepare students for careers in healthcare.
As these projects move forward, they will help address workforce shortages, create new career opportunities for North Carolinians, and strengthen access to healthcare services in rural communities across the state.