$2.5 million given in LEAF grants for economic development, tourism projects

BYLINE: Richard Craver, Winston-Salem Journal, N.C.

Nov. 7--Northwest North Carolina is getting nearly $2.5 million in fiscal year 2006-07 grant financing from the Golden LEAF Foundation for economic-development and tourism projects, the foundation said yesterday.

The largest amount -- $1.2 million -- is going to Wilkes Community College, which is leading the Northwest North Carolina Advanced Materials Cluster in Alleghany, Ashe and Wilkes counties. The money will go toward work-force-development training for the region's emerging composite-materials industry.

The Advanced Materials Cluster started in 2004 and is trying to develop the area as a national hub for advanced materials, with a focus on reinforced plastics. The reinforced plastics are a composite material that can be as strong as steel, but is lighter and less bulky. The material can be adapted for such uses as making bathtubs, truck trailers and bridge decking.

The Martin Marietta Composites Plant in Sparta has made truck trailers and other items with the advanced materials. The idea of the Advanced Materials Cluster is for the three counties to work together to draw other manufacturers to the area, support them with training programs and develop a network of suppliers.

Another $1 million is geared toward infrastructure needs for a "development project" in Piedmont Triad Research Park, which is based in downtown Winston-Salem. Officials with the park could not be reached for comment.

Other projects include:

--$150,000 toward the restoration of the Single Sisters House at Old Salem in Winston-Salem.

--$75,000 to Goler Community Development Corp. of Winston-Salem for a business-resource center to serve minority contractors focused on skilled-construction trades; and

--$47,000 to the Yadkin Valley Craft Guild in Elkin for a pilot craft apprenticeship and mentoring program.

Golden LEAF also said it would give more than $3.5 million in scholarship money for North Carolina college students. More than $1.7 million will go to the University of North Carolina system; $1.3 million to the association that represents private colleges, North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities; and $500,000 to the state community-college system.

The foundation provided $2.3 million to the same groups in fiscal 2005-06.

The foundation gets half of the proceeds from the state's 1998 master settlement agreement with the U.S. tobacco industry to try to assist development efforts in tobacco-dependent communities.

Overall, the foundation said, it has awarded about $17.2 million in 72 grants for 2007. The foundation said it got 318 grant applications.

Applicants from tobacco-dependent and economically distressed counties are given priority.

"We are always concerned about two primary things: job creation and long-term economic advancement," Valeria Lee, the president of Golden LEAF, said in a statement.

"Because we are a diverse state, we know that what works best in the mountain counties may not be the answer in counties down East. Needs and priorities differ, and our grants always reflect that reality."

The board said it provided $5.4 million to 14 community-assistance and education projects, $3.4 million to 10 work-force-preparation projects, $1.9 million to three economic-catalyst projects, $1.8 million to 19 agricultural projects, $1.7 million to eight health-care projects, $1.6 million to 14 tourism projects and nearly $1.3 million to four economic-development projects.

The foundation was established in 1999.

It has made 542 grants totaling $199.4 million.

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