UNITED STATES
The Golden LEAF Board of Directors announced US$16.1 million in funding for 47 projects across five program areas. Awards include an economic development project that will create 403 jobs, support for 15 new or enhanced workforce development programs, and 30 projects to support disaster recovery and resiliency.
The projects will help create new jobs in rural areas, get people to work in available jobs, and prepare communities for recovery from natural disasters.
The Golden LEAF board of directors awarded US$2.2 million to Rockingham County to construct a 500,000-gallon elevated water tank needed to provide sufficient water pressure for the Ontex Group. This project will create 403 jobs in Rockingham County. Although this project was announced ahead of the Golden LEAF board action, the project was eligible under Golden LEAF’s economic catalyst program.
The board of directors also awarded US$3.5 million to support 10 projects through the Golden LEAF opportunities for Work (GLOW) initiative to support innovative workforce development programs and voted to approve four projects totaling US$665,000 through the foundation’s open grants program to support critical workforce development programs, as well as two projects totaling more than US$1.8 million through the community-based grants initiative in the Sandhills prosperity zone.
Some 30 projects totaling more than US$7.9 million to support recovery from hurricanes Matthew, Florence, and Dorian. These projects support repair or replacement of infrastructure or equipment or construction of new infrastructure for hazard mitigation have been approved as well.