This morning, I attended my Board meeting for NC Real Enterprises, soon to be named NC Real Entrepreneurship.

This organization, is dedicated to developing and providing world class curriculum to train teachers to train entrepreneurs, both adult and youth programs.   NC Real has helped rebuild many rural communities across the state and I am very proud of the work the Board has done to spur innovative ideas and drive the creation of companies and jobs in North Carolina.

The troubling part of this Board meeting was to be informed that the General Assembly has cut all funding for this program, along with major cuts to the NC Rural Development Center, critical sources of funding for the organization, and will make us more dependent on grants to keep  NC Real moving forward.

I am going to work hard to set up a meeting with Rep. Tom Murry, and Secretary Decker, as there could be some opportunities to get NC Real funding from Commerce, especially with their new focus on innovation.

What better investment can we make in the future of our children, than world class programs which teach them how to start businesses and to learn how to dream big?    I just do not understand this.