The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF) is one of three entities created by the NC General Assembly to effectively invest North Carolina's portion of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. This agreement disburses one fourth of the state's tobacco settlement funds to HWTF in annual installments over a 25-year period.

Lt Governor Bev Perdue was elected as the HWTF's Chair along with the original 18 members who were appointed to the HWTF in 2001. By NC General statute, these governing members are required to be members of our public health system. Commission members are experienced in many areas of health care, including health care deliver systems, practice, research, promotion and disease prevention, policy trends, underserved populations, and pediatrics. Future appointments will be satisfied by the Governor, President Pro Tempore and Speaker of the House with the authority to appoint six members respectively.

The NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund strives to invest in programs and partnerships that will aggressively address issues associated with tobacco laws, education, prevention, and research. The mission of the Trust Fund is to more effectively assist all North Carolinians in achieving better health.