READY Local Governments provides training to help local government officials better identify, secure, manage and implement federally funded economic development projects to maximize positive outcomes.
Following successful completion of the training program, participating organizations are eligible to apply for up to $50,000 in funding (no-match required) to implement internal projects to help them address their communities’ economic needs.
Applications Are Now Open!
ARC is accepting applications for the READY Local Governments training program.
Interested applicants should:
- Read the Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA).
- Register now and attend the pre-application webinar on July 9, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
- Submit an application by July 31, 2026.
Build Federal Grant Management Skills
READY Local Governments participants will build skills to manage the entire federal grant lifecycle, including:
- Federal Grant Funding Opportunities and Readiness
- Federal Grant Project Identification, Application Development and Submission Strategy
- Federal Grant Regulations, Administration and Compliance
- Federal Grant Financial and Risk Management
- Leveraging Federal Grants for Long-Term Success
Past READY Local Government Participants
To date, ARC has awarded a nearly $3.4 million to 69 Appalachian local governments after they successfully completed the READY Local Governments training program.
Note: Past participants are not eligible to apply in 2026.
Helping All Communities Access Resources
Any borough, city, county, municipality, parish, town, township or federally recognized Indian tribe in the Appalachian Region is eligible for READY Local Governments.
Municipalities serving economically distressed counties are strongly encouraged to participate.
Contact Us
If you have questions, please contact our team at READY@arc.gov.