Community Colleges are using the grants to obtain new or used equipment, purchase laboratory supplies, upgrade outdated equipment and enhance laboratories. Because the biopharmaceutical industry does not hire people without the specialized training needed to work in an FDA regulated biomanufacturing or pharmaceutical facility, the BioNetwork grants provide Community Colleges with some of the equipment needed to be able to train more effectively for these industries. The biotech industry is growing by an estimated 3000 jobs annually, of which 2000 require education and training at the Community College level.

As with Rounds 1 and 2, the grant process for Round 3 was competitive and review panels comprised representatives from industry, the State Board of Community Colleges, the NC Biotechnology Center, the NC Community College System office, and Golden LEAF staff.

When the State Board voted on the grants, Joanne Steiner, a former biotech industry senior executive and State Board member said, "the review process was very professional and managed effectively by the BioNetwork staff". Steiner also chairs the NCCCS BioNetwork Industry Advisory Board.

A complete list of the grant awards follows:

BioNetwork Biotechnology Equipment and Related Facility Enhancement Fund Awards - Round Three

College: Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
A-B Tech Biotechnology Curriculum Laboratory Enhancement Project - Phase II
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $114,790

College: Carteret Community College
Marine Biotechnology Collaborative Project: Equipping the Lab
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $50,000

College: Central Carolina Community College
Equipment to Support a Partnership for High School Bioprocess Education
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $33,750

College: Edgecombe Community College
Enhancement of Biotechnology Preparatory Training
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $50,000

College: Fayetteville Technical Community College
Connecting Up
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $21,420

College: Forsyth Technical Community College
Biotechnology Equipment Expansion Project - Phase II
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $18,417

College: Gaston College
A-V Equipment and Infrastructure Enhancements to Support Biotechnology Distance-Learning
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $11,736

College: Haywood Community College
Generation of a Dedicated Laboratory/Classroom for Biotechnology Education Training
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $159,621

College: James Sprunt Community College
JSCC Biotech Instruction Enhancement Project
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $50,000

College: Johnston Community College
BioProcess Technology Program-Johnston County Workforce Development Center
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $99,400

College: Piedmont Community College
Biotechnology Equipment Enhancement II (BEE2)
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $31,838

College: Pitt Community College
PCC Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Equipment Project
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $9,000

College: Randolph Community College
Teaching Biotechnology 181 at Randolph Community College
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $45,331

College: Wake Technical Community College
Portable Clean Room Space and Monitoring Equipment
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $26,490

Total Recommended Awards $721,793

BioNetwork Biotechnology Distance Learning Awards - Round Three

College: Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Funding Recommendation: $58,795

College: Johnston Community College
Funding Recommendation: $58,795

College: Pitt Community College
Funding Recommendation: $58,795

Total Recommended Awards $176,385

BioNetwork Biotechnology Innovation Fund Awards - Round Three

College: Central Carolina Community College
Quality Assurance Courses via Distance Education for Bioprocess/Biotech Curriculum
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $43,836

College: Haywood Community College
Integrating Video Technology into Biotechnology Education & Training
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $58,834

College: Piedmont Community College
Biotechnology and Ecology Science Camp Explorations
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $1,809

College: Robeson Community College
Back-to-BioAgriculture Industry Series for Faculty and AgriBusiness Persons
Funding Recommendation: Partial Funding $26,000

College: Southeastern Community College
Distance Learning for Biotechnology - Plant Agriculture Curriculum
Funding Recommendation: Full Funding $52,906

Total Recommended Awards $183,385

Golden LEAF provided $8,7 million in startup funding for BioNetwork as part of an overall grant to the BPTC, or Biomanufacturing & Pharmaceutical Training Consortium, and funding for BioNetwork ends in July 2005. Continued funding to support the initiative will be needed to ensure that the significant progress made in the past year isn't lost, particularly in attracting new companies to North Carolina. Workforce availability and training are key considerations when companies determine where they will locate new facilities. The BPTC is made up of BioNetwork; the Biomanufacturing Training & Education Center (BTEC) at NC State University, where the BioNetwork Capstone Center has dedicated space; and the Biomanufacturing Research Institute & Technology Enterprise at NC Central University (BRITE).

For more information about NCCCS BioNetwork, visit: