Community-Based Grants Initiative – Piedmont-Triad Prosperity Zone

Overview

_NOTE: Timeline Information_

* _July 10 \- 'pre-proposal' deadline above - County Managers may submit initial project worksheets for review and feedback. Golden LEAF will schedule meetings with County Managers to review submitted projects. There is no cap on the number of projects eligible to be submitted in this phase. Regional projects may submit project worksheets for review and feedback._
* _August 10 \- 'pre-proposal' deadline above - County Managers submit the final list of projected endorsed to apply by Golden LEAF. Each county may submit four projects that total up to $2m, though no single project may exceed $1.5m. Regional projects submit a form confirming their intent to apply. Regional projects must meet with Golden LEAF staff prior to the August 10 deadline to request regional designation and are encouraged to do so as early as possible._
* _August 31 and September 7 -1:30-4:30 pm - Mandatory virtual application workshop held for endorsed applicants (two options, only one required)._
* _October 26 \- 'full proposal' deadline above - Applications due to Golden LEAF via online application portal. Link to be provided following application workshops._

Mission

Golden LEAF’s mission is to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural, tobacco dependent, and economically distressed communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI)

Each year, the Golden LEAF Foundation invites organizations from counties from a different Prosperity Zone to participate in our $11 million Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI). The process is competitive, but organizations from all counties within the Prosperity Zone will have an opportunity to apply.

The CBGI is designed to identify projects with the potential to have a significant impact. It is a focused process with grants targeted toward investments in the building blocks of economic growth.

Funding Areas

Job Creation & Economic Investment

Golden LEAF funds economic development projects that focus on creating and retaining jobs, attracting new business to North Carolina, expanding industries and training new workers. Primarily, these projects are meant to create, expand, or improve business activity in tobacco dependent, economically distressed or rural communities. Golden LEAF partners with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, and local governments to provide gap funding to assist with job creation.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

* Investment in publicly owned infrastructure
* Investment in privately owned property, plant, and equipment
* New full-time jobs created
* Average annual wage of new full-time jobs
* Business start-ups

As well as narrative outcomes including: jobs retained that were at risk without Golden LEAF support; comparison to county wages; job creation in identified job sectors; etc.

Agriculture

Golden LEAF supports agriculture projects as an economic development engine. Our grants for agriculture projects have supported the development of new crops, expanded markets for agriculture products, scientific research, training for farmers, cost-effective techniques and value added agricultural enterprises.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

* Number of participants at agricultural trainings
* New publications directed towards farmers
* Monthly use of agricultural facilities that benefit farmers

As well as narrative outcomes including: jobs, revenue growth, new agricultural business formations, economic output, changes in agricultural practices; acres in production; new crops/products grown or produced; and other measures of agriculture projects

Workforce Preparedness

Golden LEAF supports workforce projects that help close the skills gap and increase the pool of highly qualified individuals with skills aligned to North Carolina businesses’ current and future needs. We fund projects that demonstrate a market demand for skilled workers and aim at developing skill sets required by businesses looking to locate or expand in rural communities.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

* Increase in students completing at least one curriculum program in the area funded.
* Increase in students completing at least one continuing education course or program in the area funded.
* Increase in students earning at least one industry/third party certification, license, or other credential (non-academic) in the area funded.
* Increase in students completing CTE pathways in the area funded.
* Increase in students participating in work-based learning.
* Increase in students receiving meaningful exposure and opportunities to explore local career opportunities.

As well as narrative outcomes including: students employed; incumbent workers trained; employer input and feedback; survey results; etc.

Available Funds

A total of $11m is available to support projects in the region. Awards are limited to no more than three projects in any county and may total no more than $1.5 million in any county. Not all proposals will be funded and there is no assurance that there will be a funded project in every county. Funds may also be awarded for regional projects (see information below), which will not count toward the limit of projects in a county, but regional projects are funded through the overall $11 million program budget.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Eligible Entities
* Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations or governmental entities (county and municipal governments, community colleges, universities, etc.)
* Funds do not have to be administered or implemented by the county government.
* Eligible Geography
* Counties from the Piedmont-Triad Prosperity Zone are invited to participate in our Community-Based Grants Initiative (CBGI).
* The counties in the Piedmont-Triad Prosperity Zone are Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin.
* Funds must be used for charitable, scientific, educational, or tax-exempt public purposes.

* Process
* County managers serve a key role in the process.
* Each county manager will submit projects for feedback by Golden LEAF and later endorse a slate of up to four projects for consideration.
* Each county will determine how to identify which projects will be endorsed for this initiative.
* Only projects that have been endorsed will be eligible to submit an application for consideration by the Golden LEAF Board of Directors.
* Regional Projects
* Eligible entities may submit regional projects for consideration.
* Regional projects are not subject to the county manager endorsement process but must reach out to discuss with Golden LEAF staff to ensure the project meets the eligibility requirements for regional projects.
* Regional projects must meet all of the following criteria:
* Collaboration of entities in at least three counties
* Collaboration outside of entities’ traditional service area

Ineligibility

* Golden LEAF does not make awards to individuals or for-profit businesses.
* Golden LEAF funds may not be used for acquisition of interest in real property or grant administration expenses.
* Generally, projects focused on the following are lower priority and therefore not likely to be awarded funds.
* Tourism, arts, or cultural resources
* Shell or spec buildings
* Emergency services, including fire departments
* General social services
* Reimbursement for prior expenditures
* Capital campaigns or endowments
* Housing
* General maintenance and operational support
* Infrastructure not related to economic development