By Cara Beth Lewis
Gold LEAF is a foundation with a goal to increase economic opportunity in rural areas; specifically, those that are economically challenged and tobacco-dependent. Yesterday, Golden LEAF announced a community-based grants initiative, with grant opportunities available in the fall of 2022.
According to goldenleaf.org, approximately 11 million dollars will be awarded for projects that will boost job creation, economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture in Southeastern North Carolina. Golden LEAF says, “The 12 counties that make up the state’s Southeast Prosperity Zone are the focus of the Golden LEAF Foundation’s region-specific effort to lift the economy. The Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI) targets one Prosperity Zone per year and is designed to advance local projects ready for implementation.”
“CBGI focuses on projects that bring local economic development, workforce and education, agriculture and industry leaders around the common cause of creating jobs,” according to goldenleaf.org. The foundation recommends maximizing the awards by choosing to fund projects that will benefit the surrounding area. “Successful projects” are described as “collaborative, strategic, scale up to benefit more than one community, and provide a clear path to employment opportunities.”
In a press release, Golden LEAF shared several success stories that are a result of collaborative work, strategic planning, and widespread benefit goals.
Success Stories (from goldenleaf.org):
In August 2016, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $702,000 through the CBGI to James Sprunt Community College (JSCC) to construct a paved practice area for a new truck driver training program. The program is helping to address an identified need for more than 400 commercial truck drivers at a variety of companies in southeastern North Carolina, including food processing, agricultural, manufacturing, and construction businesses.
Since the program began in 2019, JCSS has helped 65 students obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) license with 55 students being employed in the truck driving field upon program completion.
The truck driver training program also complements JSCC’s diesel mechanic program, allowing graduates of the mechanic’s program an opportunity to receive licensing needed to drive many of the vehicles they repair.
In June 2016, the City of New Bern was awarded $549,000 by the Golden LEAF Board through the Community-Based Grants Initiative to renovate an existing city building to create a one-stop workforce development training center, The Volt Center. The Volt Center opened in July 2019. The large, open space provided a flexible and adaptive environment.
The Volt Center has trained more than 1,000 students. Of those trained, 164 students reported receiving job offers before completing. Not only does the Volt Center attract students looking for jobs, but employers looking for good employees are finding the solutions they have been needing at the training center as well.
The Volt Center was a collaborative project receiving Golden LEAF funding, $1.298 million in Economic Development Administration funds, and $310,000 from the City of New Bern. An additional $50,000 in support came from the Craven 100 Alliance, with $25,000 matching funds from the Harold H. Bate Foundation.
The awards distributed are usually limited to 1-3 projects per county and total no more than $1.5 million per county. However, not all counties are guaranteed to be awarded funds from the grants initiative. The counties in the Southeast Prosperity Zone are Brunswick, Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, and Wayne.
The Golden LEAF Foundation will host an in-person Kick-Off event in Greensboro on March 26th, 2022. Click this link to register.
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