At their August 6, 2020 meeting, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded more than $11 million in funding for 19 projects to support job creation, agriculture, leadership development, workforce development, and disaster recovery.
“Together, we will continue to face the difficult task of recovering from this unprecedented economic hit resulting from the pandemic,” said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer. “Funding for the projects the Board approved will help farmers as well as move the state’s economy forward, especially in rural and tobacco-dependent communities, by building the workforce and helping our communities recover from major storms.”
Golden LEAF accomplishes its mission through several strategic programs. At the August meeting, projects received funding through the foundation’s Open Grants Program, the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program, and the Disaster Recovery Grant Program.
The Open Grants Program supports economic development projects in the areas of workforce preparedness and education, economic investment and job creation, agriculture, and community vitality. Through Golden LEAF’s Open Grants Program, the Board of Directors awarded five projects totaling $531,220.80:
- $100,000.00 awarded to the Mount Olive Family Medicine Center, Inc. to support expansion of the family medical center and walk-in clinic. This project will create at least three full-time jobs and two part-time positions in Wayne County.
- $76,500.00 awarded to North Carolina State University to establish a site to support continued research of effective measures to control the guava root-knot nematode which threatens N.C.’s sweet potato industry and farming communities.
- $111,454.80 awarded to Martin Community College to provide equipment, materials, and supplies to support a new line technician program developed to help meet the needs of local and regional energy providers.
- $198,400.00 awarded to Southwestern Community College to provide medical equipment to support expansion of health sciences programs including nursing, physical therapy assistant, and medical sonography.
- $44,866.00 awarded to Brunswick Christian Recovery Center to provide equipment and supplies for the expansion of its two existing businesses—landscaping and commercial cleaning—that would provide workforce development and help fund the women’s and men’s recovery programs. Brunswick Community College provides short-term, small engine repair, carpentry, masonry, and electrical training for participants.
The Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $1.8 million to the Center for Creative Leadership for its eleventh year of the Golden LEAF Scholars Leadership Program. The program provides more than 300 Golden LEAF scholarship recipients with opportunities including leadership development conferences, coaching, and a paid summer work experience in a rural county.
The Board also approved 13 projects totaling nearly $9 million to support recovery from Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. These projects support repair or replacement of infrastructure or equipment or construction of new infrastructure for hazard mitigation in Beaufort, Craven, Harnett, New Hanover, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, and Wayne counties. The Disaster Recovery Grant Program is funded through appropriations by the State of North Carolina to the Golden LEAF Foundation to make grants to governmental entities and 501(c)(3) nonprofits to repair or replace infrastructure and equipment damaged or destroyed by Hurricanes Matthew, Florence, Michael, and Dorian.
Please see this link to download an Excel spreadsheet of the 19 August 2020 awards totaling more than $11 million. The projects receiving funding are serving the following counties: Beaufort, Brunswick, Craven, Harnett, Jackson, Macon, Martin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Swain, and Wayne counties. The Center for Creative Leadership and North Carolina State University projects have statewide impact.