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Jenny Tinklepaugh
jtinklepaugh@goldenleaf.org
888-684-8404

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Press Release

Golden LEAF News - September 2011

RURAL HOPE ANNOUNCEMENT

Greetings--

The Golden LEAF Foundation and five partnering agencies today announced the availability of $6.5 million in grants and loans to support health care facilities and job creation in rural North Carolina. Six nonprofit and governmental agencies are providing funding under an initiative called Rural Hope.
 
The Rural Hope initiative was launched two years ago to assist in the construction and renovation of new or existing health care facilities and the purchase of new equipment for health care facilities. Projects receiving awards must create permanent jobs at those facilities. In its first two years, the funding partners have awarded $10 million to 67 projects across the state, resulting in 803 new jobs and leveraging $224 million in additional public and private investments.
 
This year, the Golden LEAF Foundation, N.C. Rural Economic Development Center, Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the USDA Office of Rural Development have committed the $6.5 million in grants and loans for Rural Hope. The N.C. Office of Rural Health and Community Care is also a key partner in the initiative.
 
The partners have adopted a joint application process. As the first step, pre-applications will be accepted through Nov. 7. The partners will then invite competitive projects to submit a full application. Final award determinations will be made in February 2012.
 
Further details are available by clicking here.
 
In this edition of Golden LEAF News, read about grants to support job creation in Cleveland County; the Golden LEAF Community Assistance Initiative in Alleghany, Beaufort, Rockingham, and Burke counties; a Golden LEAF Scholar from Lenoir County; job training programs in Nash and Alleghany counties, and a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) project shared by Rowan, Cabarrus and Richmond counties.
 
Best,

Jenny Tinklepaugh
Program/ Communications Officer
jtinklepaugh@goldenleaf.org
www.goldenleaf.org

In this edition of "Golden LEAF News":

Golden LEAF to award $2 million in Alleghany
The Alleghany News
The Golden LEAF Foundation recently announced to citizens of Alleghany County that the Foundation is planning to award about $2 million to local non-profits. About 70 people attended the meeting to learn more details. Only government entities and federally recognized non-profits are eligible to apply. The Golden LEAF Foundation has set aside $2 million for each of the state’s Tier 1 counties to aid in economic development. The funds are used to help diversify local economies and the local residents and leaders will be expected to submit the ideas that will make that happen.

250 new jobs coming to area: Zinc-producer to invest $350 million in new facility
(with video)
Shelby Star
Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton recently announced that Horsehead Corporation would bring 250 jobs and invest $350 million in a zinc production facility just beyond the Cleveland County border near Forest City. The announcement was made in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Isothermal Community College in Spindale. The average salary for the new jobs will be more than $41,000 a year, not including benefits. Cleveland County’s average annual wage is $30,710. Rutherford County’s average annual wage is $28,392. Construction work should also put as many as 1,000 people to work. Golden LEAF awarded $1.5 million to Rutherford County Government for public infrastructure improvements that would help recruit the company.

LEAF meetings set
Washington Daily News
The Golden LEAF Foundation has scheduled the first of several meetings that could bring as much as $2 million to Beaufort County to fund projects designed to spur economic development in the county. At the October 11th meeting, Golden LEAF Foundation’s officials will discuss its Community Assistance Initiative. The meeting will give the public a chance to learn about Golden LEAF Community Assistance Initiative grants and the process of applying for funds under the program.
 
LCC grad receives Golden LEAF scholarship
Kinston Free Press
Stacey Schreiber, a Lenoir Community College graduate, recently has been selected to receive a Golden LEAF Foundation Scholarship for her continuing studies. She plans to attend ECU. She is one of 215 students selected to receive a $3,000 scholarship each year to study at a participating N.C. public university or private non-profit college or university.  As a community college transfer, Schreiber will receive up to three years of support. Recipients from rural, economically distressed N.C. counties are selected based on review of school and community service activities, goals and expressed intent to contribute to rural communities upon graduation from college, among other criteria.
 
Landfill project wins Golden LEAF grant
Greensboro News & Record
The Rockingham County Business & Technology Center announced it has received a $350,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation to support a project that will convert gas from the county dump into electricity. Mark Wells, the center’s executive director, said this latest grant will help buy a generator for Project BizFuel. The project will convert methane from the county’s landfill into electricity. Construction on the methane collection system began in May should end next month. Work on the system that will deliver the electricity generated onto the electrical grid is scheduled to begin in January and should be complete by June.
 
Nash Community College receives $200,000 Golden LEAF grant
Rocky Mount Telegram
Nash Community College received a $200,000 Golden LEAF grant that will fund the purchase of equipment for its Computer-Integrated Machining Technology and Electrical/Electronics Technology programs. The Advanced Flexible Integrated Manufacturing System is a system used to simulate on-the-job experiences and includes a vertical machining center, turning center, industrial robot, integrated programmable logic controller, and base unit with inventory stocking system. For more information on these programs, visit www.nashcc.edu/EMTechor contact Gary Blackburn at 252-451-8285 or gblackburn@nashcc.edu.
 
Burke Business Loan Program awards four more
The News Herald
Burke Business Loan Program has awarded the last of its $250,000 Golden LEAF Community Assistance Initiative grant to four businesses. The latest round doesn’t bring an end to the program because it is a revolving loan program. Payments back to the program administered by the Valdese Economic Development Investment Corporation provide funding for other loans. The program aims to help the county by creating or retaining jobs, increasing economic opportunity, strengthening the business sector and creating partnerships with local commercial banks and other private sector lenders and investors.
 
WCC opens multi-skills classroom in Alleghany
The Alleghany News
On Sept. 8, Wilkes Community College and numerous local and regional officials gathered to officially open the new multi-skills classroom at the Alleghany Campus.
The classroom was funded through a $1.2 million Golden LEAF grant given to WCC. Of that, $200,000 was spent to outfit the Alleghany Classroom. The goal of the project is to have a certificate program and an associate's degree in manufacturing. Classes required in the certificate program include blueprint reading, workplace safety, maintenance procedures, training with computer numeric control (CNC) machines, machine processes, motors and controls, hydraulics pneumatics and basic CAD.
 
Students exercise muscles and STEM skills for pit crew challenge(with video)
News 14 Carolina
Through a $300,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation, middle school students from Rowan, Cabarrus and Richmond county schools will take part the a BioMoto STEM Challenge. Recently, more than 250 students from three counties tested their physical and mental strength as part of a BioMoto STEM Challenge. The students will put their lessons to the test and run through the same exercises as the pit crew that takes care of race car drivers. The two-semester program is teaching students how to use STEM skills to improve their health and prepare for their own pit crew challenge in the Spring. Students will compete in the BioMoto Pit Crew Challenge at the Rockingham Dragway in the Spring. 

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