Council okays amendment to NC Biotech partnership grant for Project Lucky; timeline extended and funds reallocated

Greenville City Council approved a resolution authorizing an amendment to a partnership development grant agreement between the city and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center for “Project Lucky,” a workforce and facility support initiative tied to local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Assistant City Attorney Scott Dixon described the amendment as procedural and substantive: it extends the grant end date from Sept. 14, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2027; adjusts funding timing to correspond with the later end date; and replaces the sections that describe the use of funds and milestones to allow a reallocation of the existing grant dollars so they can support both Thermo Fisher (successor to Patheon in local operations) and community workforce development activities. Dixon said the amendment does not change the total dollar amount of the grant; the city serves as a pass-through and administrator of the NC Biotechnology Center funds.

Dixon said staff had confirmed the employer had met and exceeded its earlier job-creation commitments and that existing performance and grant agreements require the city to withhold funds unless milestones are met. He told council the reallocation includes items such as facility improvements and virtual reality training to prepare workers for manufacturing-floor conditions.

Council voted unanimously to approve the amendment. No public speakers opposed or asked questions during the hearing. Dixon said staff had coordinated with NC Biotech and Thermo Fisher to ensure funds could be used to benefit both the company and community training objectives.

Why it matters: the amendment allows remaining grant funds to be used in ways staff said more effectively support employer needs and community training while extending allowable timing for those expenditures; staff confirmed performance milestones and job creation to date.