
Golden LEAF recognizes that rural and economically distressed communities must have sites available for development to attract new businesses and create opportunities for existing businesses to expand. To address this need, Golden LEAF created the SITE Program.
The SITE Program offers resources to help communities identify potential sites for economic development, provides funding to complete due diligence on publicly controlled sites, and provides funding to extend public utilities to publicly controlled sites or to conduct clearing and rough grading of publicly owned sites. The three phases of the SITE Program are Identification, Due Diligence, and Development.
At their December meeting, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $1,500,000 to Robeson County for clearing and grading, erosion control, adding backfill, and creating an access road for a site in the COMTech Business Park.
COMtech Business Park is a 700 acre site within Robeson County that serves to attract people of various industries and gather them all in one centralized location. The Journal published a story on the development a year ago.

Smith Douglas Homes pictured with the The Lillington Area Chamber of Commerce at the grand opening of their new Reedy Branch community which took place in October. Photo provided by Smith Douglas Homes.A new residential community taking shape in Lill
Walsingham Group Inc., an organization federally recognized for its efforts and emphasis on hiring Veterans is partnering with local and national organizations to recruit, hire and retain Veteran talent. Photo generated using Canva AI.Walsingham Grou
Costumed actors will roam the streets, carriage rides will guide visitors throughout and the traditional candlelight processional and illumination ceremony will be included at this year’s A Dickens Holiday. Photo provided by A Dickens Holiday, taken