Golden LEAF Foundation
Encyclopedia
Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Rocky Mount is an All-America City Award-winning city in Edgecombe and Nash counties in the coastal plains of the state of North Carolina. Although it was not formally incorporated until February 28, 1867, the North Carolina community that became the city of Rocky Mount dates from the beginning of...
in the United States, that was created in 1999 to receive half of the funds coming to North Carolina from the master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers. The foundation is now devoted to advancing the economic well being of North Carolinians and to transforming its economy. It works in partnership with local governments, educational institutions, economic development organizations and other public agencies, and nonprofits to achieve this goal.
The foundation uses the funds for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina's long-term economy, especially in communities that have been tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and rural communities. Golden LEAF's grantmaking, estimated at $10 million per year, has been focused in the areas of agriculture, economic development and workforce preparedness. Educational assistance projects that complemented these priority areas also have been supported.
The foundation's 15-member board is appointed by the governor of North Carolina, the president pro tem of the state senate, and the speaker of the North Carolina House. The Golden LEAF Foundation's economic development efforts include an economic stimulus package, a biotech initiative, and, most recently, an aerospace alliance initiative.
Select Projects
1. One of Golden LEAF's earliest grants was to Surry Community CollegeSurry Community College
Surry Community College is located in Dobson, North Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and services Surry and Yadkin Counties. It is one of North Carolina's 58 community colleges...
to begin programs in viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
and enology, essentials of wine-making. Within a few years the region that encompasses Yadkin, Surry, Forsyth, Davie, and Davidson counties would become known as the Yadkin Valley wine region
Yadkin Valley wine region
The Yadkin Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes land in seven counties of northwestern North Carolina. The AVA encompasses an area of approximately in the Yadkin River valley...
. Land previously used to raise tobacco is now producing wine grapes for sale to privately-owned wineries and for the wine cooperative for which Golden LEAF provided the seed money. In 2005, Golden LEAF continued to help the wine industry grow and improve by making grants to market the region and to provide equipment to help owners detect and control diseases and maintain quality.
2. The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center
Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center
The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center is a multidisciplinary instructional center at North Carolina State University that provides education and training to develop skilled professionals for the biomanufacturing industry. Biomanufacturing refers to the use of living...
(BTEC) on North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
's Centennial Campus opened in 2007, giving the state a new tool for supporting a growing biotechnology industry. BTEC is the largest facility of its kind in the nation. Through partnerships between N.C. State, North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
and the Centennial Campus, BTEC's distance education and on-site programs will train as many as 2,000 students and prospective employees per year. BTEC will simulate a biomanufacturing pilot plant facility capable of producing biopharmaceutical products and packaging them in a sterile environment. It also will include training and education classrooms, laboratories, building and process utilities. The facility is outfitted so that students will gain hands-on experience using the same large-scale equipment they would use on the job. Golden LEAF provided about $38 million to design, build and equip BTEC, as part of an overall initiative grant of about $68 million. In addition to BTEC, the initiative establishes biomanufacturing training capabilities statewide at NCCU and five regional skill centers in the Centennial Campus, which will also operate the BioNetwork Capstone Center within BTEC.
3. Golden LEAF, in conjunction with the U.S. Navy, Cherry Point MCAS, the Defense Logistics Agency
Defense Logistics Agency
The Defense Logistics Agency is an agency in the United States Department of Defense, with more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel throughout the world...
and other interested DoD
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
agencies, state educational institutions, and North Carolina companies, assisted in creation of the North Carolina-Aerospace Alliance to assist entrepreneurs in three areas: certification and engineering, work-force training and access to capital. Golden LEAF made $11 million in grants available to support training and the development of capabilities targeting replacement parts for aging military aircraft and other defense related contracting opportunities.
4. The foundation recently approved spending $100 million for a new manufacturing plant at North Carolina's Global TransPark
Global TransPark
The North Carolina Global TransPark is a 2,500 acre, multi-modal industrial/airport site in Eastern North Carolina. As an agency of the State of North Carolina, the GTP is considered a key engine for driving the economic of Eastern North Carolina. The park offers access to multi-modal...
(GTP) to be built by Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. , based in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. The company builds several important pieces of Boeing aircraft, including the fuselage of the 737, portions of the 787 fuselage, and the cockpit of nearly all of its airliners...
that will eventually employ more than 1,000 people. Spirit said it will invest $570 million in the project over the next six years and that the facility, which will manufacture the center portion of the fuselage of the Airbus A350
Airbus A350
The Airbus A350 is a family of long-range, wide-body jet airliners under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.A consortium originally comprising European aerospace companies from the UK, France, Spain and West Germany, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known...
Xtra WideBody airplane, will be operational by 2010. State grants totaling about $125 million include a $5 million grant and more than $20 million, payable over 12 years, tied to the job creation.
5. The Golden LEAF Foundation also provides scholarships to the colleges in the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
system, the North Carolina Community College System, and the North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.
Tobacco Settlement
In November 1998, the attorneys general of 46 states signed an agreement with four of the nation's largest cigarette manufacturers. This settlement is referred to as the Master Settlement AgreementMaster Settlement Agreement
The Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement was entered in November 1998, originally between the four largest US tobacco companies and the attorneys general of 46 states...
(MSA). The MSA commits these tobacco manufacturers to pay approximately $206 billion to the 46 states over the first 25 years of the agreement. Of that, North Carolina’s share is estimated to be approximately $4.6 billion after 25 years. Money from the MSA is sometimes called “Phase I” money.
The N.C. General Assembly created three different programs to distribute the State's Phase I funds. The Golden LEAF Foundation, so named because the tobacco plant has golden leaves after they have been cured, receives 50% of the Phase I funds and makes grants for economic development in tobacco dependent communities. The Health and Wellness Trust Fund, a State agency receives, 25% of the Phase I funds and makes grants for health-related programs. The remaining 25% is allocated to the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.
To date, Golden LEAF has received $706,546,189.63 in payments as a result of the tobacco settlement. Since it began making grants in 2001, Golden LEAF has awarded 667 grants totaling $246,767,918.22 to non-profit organizations and government entities throughout North Carolina. By 2025, it is anticipated the foundation will have received its full share, or approximately $2.3 billion, of payments resulting from the tobacco settlement.