November 2024
Happy Thanksgiving! In this edition of our Golden LEAF newsletter, I am sharing some of the reasons I am thankful this year. November marked my fifth anniversary as president of Golden LEAF, and in October, Golden LEAF hit 25 years!
I am grateful for the work of rural communities that are developing and implementing economic development strategies, humbled that Golden LEAF was asked to assist with efforts that will help with resilience for years into the future, and excited to reflect on the impact that Golden LEAF has accomplished over the last 25 years.
In the last year, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded approximately $45 million to help create jobs and economic investment, help train workers for available jobs, strengthen the agriculture economy, and provide needed infrastructure for job creation through the Economic Catalyst Program, Open Grants Program, and the Community-Based Grants Initiative in the Piedmont Triad Prosperity Zone.
Highlights from the year include a project to help grow the agriculture economy in Randolph County, a project in Davidson County for a job creation and economic investment strategy in Davidson County, and most recently, an award of $13 million to Wilson Community College for training equipment that will be used to support the location of a major biomedical manufacturing company, Johnson & Johnson, in Wilson County.
Golden LEAF continues to invest in our SITE Program to help communities with recruiting industry. In the last year, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded 15 projects totaling $7.5 million to support strategies for economic growth in one of the three different stages of industrial site development (identification, due diligence or development) in Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Columbus, Chowan, Gaston, Greene, Harnett, Madison, Nash, Northampton, Surry, Warren, Washington, and Wilkes counties.
Golden LEAF supports the State of North Carolina and its strategies for resilience and recovery from natural disasters and to build systems of economic growth.
I am thankful that the State of North Carolina has entrusted Golden LEAF with funding to assist in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene and enhance flood mitigation projects across the state.
Hurricane Helene horrifically ravaged the western part of our state in September. Golden LEAF is often asked to help build back the economy in communities impacted by natural disasters. The Foundation was once again entrusted by the State of North Carolina to administer funding for a small business loan fund for disaster recovery. Since then, Golden LEAF has been working on its strategy to support the relief and recovery of Western North Carolina.
In October, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $7.5 million to start the WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund, a loan program to small businesses suffering economic losses related to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The fund is administered by Mountain BizWorks. In October, the Golden LEAF Foundation was appropriated $50 million by the North Carolina General Assembly to support business recovery loans. Golden LEAF then awarded $50 million to Mountain BizWorks to enhance the WNC Strong: Helene Business Recovery Fund.
The Golden LEAF Board also established in October a Hurricane Helene Relief initiative. Funds are available to organizations to support immediate relief for individuals and families including home repair, addressing unmet needs, and helping transition out of FEMA housing programs. Governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits are eligible to apply for Hurricane Helene Relief funds. In November, the Golden LEAF Board met in two special meetings to award $2,757,654 in funding for 11 Hurricane Helene Relief projects.
Golden LEAF’s strategy for the last 25 years has been long-term economic advancement. I am thankful for the leadership that had the forethought to create the Golden LEAF Foundation 25 years ago to provide perpetual economic development support to our communities. We thank the appointing bodies including the North Carolina Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Governor for your continued support of Golden LEAF.
The work of Golden LEAF is not possible without a dedicated leadership and team of professionals getting the work done. I’d like to thank the Golden LEAF Board for your commitment and dedication to the mission and strategy of the foundation. My colleagues at Golden LEAF work every day to carry out the strategies of the Board and manage the day-to-day operations that enhance economic development opportunities across the state. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to North Carolina’s economy.
Through this support, Golden LEAF has worked on a lasting legacy and over the 25 years has provided funding for projects resulting in more than 68,000 new jobs, $780 million in new payroll, and 98,000 workers trained across our great state.
I am thankful for what’s to come. We have new and exciting initiatives and programs that we will announce in the coming months. We have used our strategic plan to build out a strategy for the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow. We are supporting economic growth throughout the state in a multifaceted, long-term approach that will show results long into the next 25 years.
As we recognize all we have to be thankful for, let us also continue to look for the strategies that will create new jobs, develop and upskill our workforce, and grow our agriculture economy. After all, we are doing this work – together!