Lead for North Carolina
Approved by Board of Directors: 2019, 2021, and 2024
SECU Foundation has awarded a cumulative total of $2.5 million to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government to support Lead for North Carolina, an innovative approach to cultivating the next generation of public service leaders in the state. Addressing talent pipeline concerns, Lead for North Carolina works to recruit and train a diverse pool of recent college graduates and place them in paid fellowships with local government agencies. SECU Fellows are transforming the state’s most underserved and economically distressed communities, leading projects ranging from disaster recovery and economic development to environmental resiliency and community health initiatives. SECU Foundation provided $500,000 to establish Lead for NC as a pilot in 2019 and an additional $1 million in both 2021 and 2024 to support program expansion.