There’s definitely a lot to be excited about when it comes to the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative (N.C. PSI).

N.C. PSI was envisioned by farmers to help drive the vital research and innovation that will increase crop yields, create new varieties, extend growing seasons, and enhance agricultural and environmental sustainability. That’s why we are bringing together the brightest minds in academia, government and industry – and it is already paying dividends for North Carolina. 

We’re on our way to solving some of the grandest issues facing agriculture and society today. However, we need your help to take us to the finish line. And with a once-in-a-lifetime funds matching program that can literally double your gift, we’re making it easier than ever for you to support us. More on this below. But first, here are just a few of our major accomplishments.

Close to 80 faculty across six different colleges are already engaged in more than 10 active N.C. PSI research projects that have received roughly $100 million in competitive research support. NC State was also awarded a five-year, $25 million grant for the creation of an NSF Science and Technology Center conducting research to reduce both the dependence on mined phosphates and the amount of phosphorus that leaches into soil and water. The NSF Science and Technology Center – Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) – will be headquartered in the NC State University Plant Sciences building, the future home of N.C. PSI. 

And thanks to partnerships with federal agencies and our state congressional leaders, we have secured authorization for new USDA-ARS faculty positions and a $31 million building to support collaborative research on our Lake Wheeler Rd. Research Farms. 

In September, CALS announced the hiring of Adrian Percy to serve as N.C. PSI’s inaugural executive director. Percy is a globally recognized leader in agriculture who will be leaving his position as Chief Technology Officer at UPL, one of the world’s largest agrochemical companies, to assume his new leadership role on Nov. 1. 

If you drive by Centennial Campus, you will see another promising sign of progress—construction of the NC State University Plant Sciences Building is nearly 87% complete. Research teams should begin moving in around March 2022. A building dedication will be held on April 12, 2022, and friends of the college are welcome to attend.

Thanks to the advocacy and $6 million in seed money from more than 40 agricultural and community groups, the $85 million secured from the Connect NC Bond, and the combined $48 million in grants from the Golden LEAF Foundation, the dream of N.C. PSI is one step closer to becoming a reality. 

But even with all this success, there are still opportunities for you to help. 

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has received a very special set of gifts that enables us to match the gifts of donors who name a space in the NC State University Plant Sciences Building (PSB). 

This is a unique opportunity for donors to obtain a one-to-one match. For example, if a donor chooses to make a $100,000 gift to name a space in the PSB, they can use $100,000 in matching funds to then name a space valued at $200,000.

This opportunity is available for all new gifts starting at $50,000, with matching funds available on a first-come-first-served basis. Donors can also pledge gifts over multiple years. 

Time is limited, so please contact us with your interest as soon as possible. We welcome the opportunity to talk through options and answer questions. 

This post was originally published in College of Agriculture and Life Sciences News.