The purpose of Golden LEAF is to fund projects that bring significant economic improvement to tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities in North Carolina. The foundation focuses on strengthening the state’s long-term economy with a commitment to projects that support job creation, economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture in these communities.
The Golden LEAF Foundation's Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI) aims to support projects with the potential to significantly impact economic growth in selected regions of North Carolina. With $11 million available annually, the initiative focuses on job creation and economic investment, agriculture, and workforce preparedness. In job creation and economic investment, the foundation seeks projects that attract new businesses, create or retain jobs, and make investments in infrastructure and private property. For agriculture, the grants support the development of new crops, market expansions, research, and training, aiming to boost the agricultural economy. Workforce preparedness funding targets projects that close the skills gap and increase the availability of skilled labor tailored to the needs of local businesses. The initiative encourages projects that offer meaningful outcomes such as job creation, higher wages, new business formation, increased production in agriculture, and improved workforce skills.