Golden LEAF awards $8 million in funding to support projects in 16 counties | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    On December 1, 2022, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $5.8 million in funding to support projects through the SITE Program and $700,000 in funding to support projects through the Open Grants Program. The Golden LEAF Board also awarded $1,336,550 in funding for projects through the Flood Mitigation Program and $113,806 in increased Disaster Recovery Grant Program funding.

    The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors awarded $5.8 million in funding for 10 projects through the Golden LEAF SITE Program in Caldwell, Duplin, Forsyth, Nash, Randolph, Rockingham, Sampson, Stanly, and Warren counties. Click here to read more about these awards. Click here to read more about these awards.

    Additionally, the Golden LEAF Board awarded two projects totaling $700,000 in Open Grants Program funding. These projects will support agriculture and workforce preparedness in Ashe and Catawba counties.

• $500,000 to Ashe County to support construction costs for a multi-purpose agricultural center that will provide a space for area cattle farmers to aggregate and market their livestock locally in a manner that would attract large buyers and increase opportunities to gain premium pricing.
• $200,000 to Catawba Valley Community College for two years of start-up funding to partially fund four of seven new positions for the Manufacturing Solutions Center II an economic development and job creation initiative focused on best practices in fabric development, new textile personal protective equipment, and expanded testing and prototyping.

    The State of North Carolina appropriated the Golden LEAF Foundation $25 million for a Flood Mitigation Program. The Flood Mitigation Program will award funding up to $250,000 per project. Funds may only be awarded to units of local government.

    The Golden LEAF Board awarded $1,336,550 in funding to seven projects through the Flood Mitigation Program in Bladen, Currituck, Duplin, Haywood, Iredell, and Wake counties.

• $250,000 to the Town of Canton to replace and improve stormwater infrastructure on Rhoda Street damaged as a result of Tropical Storm Fred.
• $160,400 to the Town of Canton to replace and improve stormwater infrastructure on Skyline Drive damaged as a result of Tropical Storm Fred.
• $250,000 to Currituck County to support installation of a stormwater pump and associated infrastructure to alleviate flooding on Bonito Street.
• $250,000 to the Town of Morrisville to upsize the existing culvert and improve existing channel berms to accommodate backflows and mitigate flooding in areas near the Wolfsnare Lane intersection immediately off the Crabtree Crossing Parkway in Morrisville.
• $168,650 to the City of Statesville to replace and improve the existing and damaged stormwater infrastructure to mitigate flooding and overtopping on the roadway along Lucille Street.
• $175,000 to the Town of Wallace to map existing stormwater systems throughout the town to create an asset inventory list that will include an assessment of the current condition of all assets.
• $82,500 to the Town of White Lake to develop a stormwater management plan for the town to address localized flooding it experiences during heavy rain events.

    The Golden LEAF Board approved $113,806 in additional Disaster Recovery Grant Program funding to existing projects in Johnston and Pamlico counties. The Disaster Recovery Grant Program is funded through appropriations by the State of North Carolina to the Golden LEAF Foundation to award funds 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.

    The Golden LEAF Board approved an increase of $36,528.25 to the Town of Princeton in Johnston County for higher than expected costs to implement stormwater improvements in the Princeton Business Improvement District.

    In Pamlico County, the Golden LEAF Board approved an increase of $77,278 to the Triangle Volunteer Fire Department for higher than expected costs for driveway paving at the newly constructed replacement fire station.

    Since 1999, Golden LEAF has funded 2,058 projects totaling $1.2 billion supporting the mission of advancing economic opportunity in North Carolina's rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed communities.