When a company considers bringing new jobs to a community, details matter. From the speed of moving from deal-signing to production, to site infrastructure and workforce availability, these are critical factors that determine where and how companies choose to grow.
Golden LEAF’s Role in Statewide Economic Development
The Golden LEAF Foundation plays an essential role in North Carolina’s economic development ecosystem. Golden LEAF is often at the table early, working alongside partners such as the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC), and local or regional economic developers to help secure business expansions or new industry locations.
Through the Economic Catalyst Program, Golden LEAF helps ensure that job-creating projects at risk of failing without the funding can move forward, especially in tobacco-dependent and economically distressed communities. Economic Catalyst funding is often the final piece needed to make a project viable.
Case Study: Biologics Center Brings 420 Jobs to Wilson
In 2024, Johnson & Johnson announced it would bring 420 new jobs to Wilson. To meet the workforce needs of this and other growing biotech employers in the area, Wilson Community College developed a plan for a new Biologics Center. While funding for constructing the center was secured from other sources, there was still a funding gap for high-tech training equipment.
Recognizing this crucial need for workforce training to attract Johnson & Johnson to the area, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $13 million in Economic Catalyst funding to support the purchase of state-of-the-art training equipment for the college’s public training facility. This investment is part of a broader regional strategy to ensure local workers have the skills needed for careers in the growing biotechnology sector within the region.
Case Study: Infrastructure Improvements Result in 400 Jobs in Mocksville
In Mocksville, a poultry processing plant had closed due to a fire in 2017, leaving a skilled workforce without employment. When Brakebush Brothers, Inc. considered opening a new chicken finishing plant in the same location, they faced a hurdle. The site required significant upgrades to its water and sewer infrastructure.
The Golden LEAF Board recognized the significance this project would have on the community and awarded $450,000 in Economic Catalyst funding in December 2019 to help cover the cost of the infrastructure improvements. The company committed to creating 141 new jobs, and ultimately delivered nearly 400 jobs, revitalizing the site and bolstering the county’s economic growth.
How the Economic Catalyst Program Works
The Economic Catalyst Program is designed to support the state’s economy by filling in the gaps, where the expected job creation is at risk without Golden LEAF support. These funds support projects where a company is ready to commit full-time jobs to an economically distressed or tobacco-dependent community, but there is a gap in funding for local infrastructure, workforce development, or training equipment costs.
Economic Catalyst funding can support workforce training delivered by community colleges or nonprofits and public infrastructure such as water/sewer lines or site improvements owned and maintained by public entities. Competitive Economic Catalyst projects demonstrate how the project is at risk without this funding, show how the jobs will impact a low-wealth area, even within a higher-wealth county, and build in strong local support and alignment with broader economic development strategies.
For more information, visit Golden LEAF’s Economic Catalyst webpage.