Thank you for your continued support of the NC Chamber Foundation’s execution of the NC Leads strategic plan.

We’re pleased to welcome Novo Nordisk as the newest NC Leads investor, strengthening the coalition of leaders committed to advancing North Carolina’s long-term competitiveness. 

In Q3, your investment enabled us to: 

• Release the Business-Driven Energy Vision, aligning energy planning with economic growth and competitiveness. 
• Publish the NC Health Talent Alliance’s second statewide data analysis, quantifying health workforce supply and demand. 
• Advance to Phase Three of NC Ag Leads with new partnerships, pilots, and research. 
• Complete the research phase of our water infrastructure initiative, with a comprehensive report to be released in November. 

These efforts are driving real action in North Carolina. Here’s a closer look at the progress your support made possible: 

Business-Driven Energy Vision 

In Q3, the Foundation released its Business-Driven Energy Vision — a strategy that distills input from employers across agriculture, manufacturing, life sciences, technology, retail, and more into clear priorities for ensuring reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy. 

This vision provides a platform for business leaders, policymakers, utilities, and state agencies to collaborate, plan, and align on energy priorities that support North Carolina’s growth and competitiveness. 

What’s Next: We are continuing to elevate the business community’s energy priorities through statewide discussions, including a featured energy policy panel at the Business Playbook event on Oct. 16, moderated by NC Chamber Foundation President Meredith Archie. Learn more. 

NC Health Talent Alliance: Second Annual Workforce Report 

The NC Health Talent Alliance (HTA) released its second annual statewide workforce report — one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of health care supply and demand in North Carolina. 

Key Findings: 

• Education Output Rising: RN, LPN, and CNA program completions have increased, narrowing gaps in talent pipelines. 
• Demand Normalizing: Projected openings are returning closer to pre-pandemic levels by 2028, reducing volatility. 
• Turnover Persists: High churn remains in behavioral health, long-term care, and lower-wage settings. 
• Pathway Emerging: Growing supply plus easing demand suggests cautious optimism, though retention and program capacity remain challenges. 

The report reflects data from 110 healthcare organizations representing nearly 80,000 positions, as well as all 12 UNC nursing programs and 49 community colleges. 

What’s Next: HTA partners are developing regional workforce strategies tailored to local needs, driving sustainable progress statewide. 

Scaling Education & Talent Supply Work: Next-Generation TPM 

Building on lessons from healthcare, the NC Chamber Foundation is developing a next-generation approach to accelerate and scale Talent Pipeline Management® (TPM) across additional industries. 

This quarter, we’ve been conducting pilot initiatives with health science program deans within three community colleges to test a new approach. Early results and partner feedback have been very promising, demonstrating the model’s potential to improve speed and alignment between talent supply and employer demand. 

At our Education & Workforce Conference in August, NC Chamber Foundation Director of Workforce Competitiveness Vincent Ginski emphasized the importance of setting meaningful, shared goals across the workforce system. His closing keynote laid out the concept of a “North Star” workforce development goal — a clear, collective outcome that helps every stakeholder understand how their efforts contribute to North Carolina’s overall success. EdNC details a portion of his talk here. 

Water Infrastructure: Research Complete, Report Coming in November 

We completed a comprehensive research effort examining North Carolina’s water infrastructure challenges — combining data analysis with input from utilities, local governments, industry, and community stakeholders across urban and rural regions. 

The research explored key issues including aging infrastructure, water quality, resilience, and capacity demands driven by population and economic growth. 

What’s Next: The final report will be released in November, providing data-driven insights and actionable recommendations to strengthen the state’s resilience and competitiveness. 

NC Ag Leads: From Strategy to Action 

With Phase Two complete, NC Ag Leads has moved into Phase Three, shifting from strategy to implementation to secure the future of North Carolina’s $111B agriculture industry. 

Core initiatives include: 

• Extension Revitalization 
• Farmer-Engaged Accelerator: Exploring partnership with AgLaunch to connect innovators directly with farmers. 
• Talent Pipeline Management® 
• Research Initiatives: Assessing agribusiness program inventory and addressing farmland loss. 
• Thought Leadership Collaboration: Convening agricultural leaders to share insights, address key challenges, and drive collaborative solutions. 

As always, we value your partnership in driving a prosperous future for North Carolina

If you’d like to become more involved in a specific issue—or if someone else from your organization should receive these updates—please reach out to NC Chamber Foundation President Meredith Archie. 

Thank you again for your continued investment.