Workforce Development Financial Assistance

The Golden LEAF Foundation makes scholarships available to students from qualifying counties who demonstrate financial need to help them attend a North Carolina community college. Golden LEAF’s goal is for scholarship recipients to gain talent, knowledge, and the skills to help their communities thrive.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a North Carolina resident
• Be a U.S. Citizen/National or Eligible non-citizen
• Demonstrate financial need 
• Reside in a rural county that is tobacco dependent, or economically destressed, as determined by the Golden LEAF Foundation.
  • **NOTE: A scholarship recipient who resides in an eligible county upon initial award will retain eligibility and may be eligible for a renewal award if the student’s place of residence is within the state of North Carolina.  Should you receive a scholarship you will be asked to provide proof of your county of residency at the time of the initial award.
• Be enrolled or enrolling in Workforce Continuing Education (WCE) pathways/courses offered for 96 hours or more and leading to a State or industry-recognized credential.  This credential must be on the NC Workforce Credentials list.

information coming soon

The SECU Bridge to Career program is currently available to all 58 North Carolina Community Colleges and helps remove financial barriers for students seeking state-regulated or industry-recognized credentials that lead to sustainable wage careers within their communities. SECU Bridge to Career provides funding for $500 scholarships, to be awarded to up to 30 eligible students at each of the 58 NC Community College campuses. The SECU Bridge to Career program has supported community college workforce development and continuing education students across North Carolina since 2018.

Students are eligible to be awarded up to two (2) of these scholarships within the program year (July 1, 2026, to August 31, 2027).  All course work must be completed by August 31, 2027.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a North Carolina resident
• Be enrolled or enrolling in a course(s) leading to an NC Workforce Credential at the
  Essential or Career Level, or that has been approved by NCCCS
  • The student would be eligible to be awarded up to two (2) scholarships within the program year when taking two (2) scholarship eligible courses. (Program year runs July 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027)
• Must be a member of one of the following groups:
  • Member of an unemployed or underserved populations
  • Member of the NC National Guard
  • Military veteran or spouse
  • Member of underserved populations in a specific workforce sector or area
• Not a director, employee, or family member of an employee of the State Employees’ Credit Union or SECU Foundation.

Course Requirements: Must be an approved course in the NCCCS Combined Course Library that leads to an industry recognized credential. This credential must be on the NC Workforce Credentials list.

In 2021, the General Assembly of North Carolina establish the Short-Term Workforce Development (STWD) Grant Program. The program intends to remove access barriers to high-quality, in-demand, sustaining wage careers for eligible North Carolina students pursuing high-demand workforce training programs in pathways identified in collaboration with the Department of Commerce that lead to a State or industry-recognized credential. Through this program, each college can determine grant award amounts based on student needs, local industry needs, number of eligible students, and cost of the course/pathway, up to a maximum award of $750 per course. These grants can help address the cost of tuition/registration fees, course fees, books, supplies, credentialing tests, transportation, childcare, and any other components of the total cost of attendance.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a resident of North Carolina
• Must be enrolled in Workforce Continuing Education (WCE) pathways/courses leading to a N.C. Workforce Credential identified as either Essential or Career level. These pathways may consist of a single WCE course or a series of courses and must be on the NC Workforce Credentials list.
• Must have financial need and utilize funds to help address the cost of tuition/registration, course fees, books, supplies, credentialing tests, transportation, childcare, and any other components of the total cost of attendance.

information coming soon