Golden LEAF Foundation

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1999 to administer a portion of North Carolina's share of the master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers. The foundation's primary mission is to stimulate economic development and create jobs in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and rural communities across North Carolina. It plays a critical role in the life sciences sector by providing significant grant funding for biotechnology infrastructure, workforce training, and research facilities. Notably, the foundation was instrumental in funding the Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC) at NC State University, which supports the state's large-scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry.