Golden LEAF approves awards for Harnett and Robeson counties to support economic development and workforce preparedness

By Staff Report, posted Feb 5, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

The Golden LEAF Board of Directors announced a total of $17,376,679 in funding to support job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness and agriculture projects. The Board awarded $9.9 million to support 11 projects through the Community-Based Grants Initiative in the North Central Prosperity Zone, $1.2 million to support three projects through the Open Grants Program and $1.3 million to support a SITE Program – Development project. The Board also recently approved an award of $4.8 million to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

“Today, the Golden LEAF Board awarded funding to projects that represent all three of the foundation’s funding priorities: job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture,” said Golden LEAF Board Chair Brian Raynor in a press release. “Together, these investments share the ultimate goal of moving the economic needle in communities and will support the long-term economic advancement of rural, tobacco-dependent, and economically distressed areas. We look forward to the lasting impact they will have for years to come.”

At a special Board meeting in January, the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded $4,864,368 to the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in Robeson County for clinical and training lab equipment to support the development of the State’s first public College of Optometric Medicine. The College will be housed in the university’s new $91 million, 74,000-square-foot Clinical Sciences Building with construction scheduled to begin in 2026 and completion anticipated in 2028. The program will use a hybrid learning model combining live patient care, simulation-based training, and clinical experiences in rural and underserved communities. The College will enroll 32 students annually.

“Golden LEAF supports projects that connect people, industry and opportunity,” said Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton, in a press release. “These awards drive job creation and business growth, strengthen workforce training aligned with employer needs, and enable agriculture projects to expand markets and add value, each playing a critical role in strengthening the rural economy.”

The Golden LEAF Foundation Board awarded $9,959,051 in funding for 11 projects through the Community-Based Grants Initiative in the North Central Prosperity Zone. These projects will support job creation and economic investment, workforce preparedness, and agriculture in Durham, Edgecombe, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Person, and Wilson counties.

The following awards will support development within GFBJ’s coverage area:

$393,000 to Harnett County Schools in Harnett County for equipment, construction, professional development, personnel, participant support, transportation and laptops to expand high-demand Career and Technical Education pathways, dual enrollment, internships and third-party credential access.
$656,051 to Harnett County to support due diligence, design, engineering and clearing/grading of 10 acres in Western Harnett Innovation Park.
$2,500,000 to Central Carolina Community College serving Chatham, Harnett and Lee counties to renovate and equip a manufacturing and biotech training center serving regional workforce needs.

Since 1999, Golden LEAF has funded 2,374 projects totaling $1.5 billion supporting the mission of advancing economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco-dependent and economically distressed communities.

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