In 2024, ARC awarded more than $5 million in POWER funds to three advanced manufacturing projects that will benefit coal-impacted communities and workers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and West Virginia.
READY Grants to Grow is a $9 million funding opportunity that will award grants of up to $500,000 to organizations seeking to build individual, organizational and/or community capacity.
Asheville, North Carolina, serves as a successful model for economic revitalization in Appalachia. Tourists from far and wide seek out its rich cultural history, outdoor recreation opportunities, culinary scene and much more. As a result, entrepreneurship and business growth has helped diversify its economy and create numerous employment opportunities for…
ARC’s Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) awarded $11.5 million to 39 grantees working to address Appalachia’s substance use disorder crisis. Each project makes a unique contribution to local, state and regional recovery ecosystems, which are complex, critically needed webs connecting peer support, health and human services, faith…
It takes innovative thinking to address the substance use disorder crisis, which continues to disproportionately affect the Appalachian Region. How can communities grow support services and workforce opportunities for individuals in recovery? For Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) in Southwest Virginia, their answer is simple: local food.
The journey through justice system involvement, recovery from substance use disorder and workforce re-entry is longer and more complex than most realize. Investing in partners, such as The REACH Initiative in Charleston, West Virginia, that make this process easier for Appalachians is a key part of…
Community foundations serving Appalachia are invited to join an informational webinar on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. ET to learn about READY Community Foundations. This no-cost, six-week virtual training program is designed to help community foundation leaders build skills in effective operations, fundraising, and programming. Following…
READY Community Foundations provides training to help organizations strengthen operations, programming and fundraising to boost local economies. Following successful completion of the training program, participating organizations will be eligible to apply for up to $25,000 in funding (no-match required) to implement internal projects and bolster their organizations as critical local…
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…
ARC’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) is a funding opportunity driving large-scale, regional economic transformation through multi-state collaborative projects. ARISE projects support the development of new businesses, industries and opportunities across the region. One such industry is textile manufacturing, which…
Since 2007, the number of children placed in foster care due to parental substance use disorder (SUD) has risen by 53%, per the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. As with other SUD-related issues, this trend is disproportionately higher in Appalachian counties, such as Barbour County, West Virginia,…
In Appalachian Mississippi’s 24 counties, the manufacturing, transportation and logistics sectors have major potential to create new workforce opportunities — especially for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). However, the region is lacking local capacity to launch a coordinated, comprehensive recovery ecosystem to help these populations successfully access…
Recovering from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) can be a vicious cycle, especially when it comes to accessing the treatment and support services needed to successfully secure meaningful employment. Furthermore, it’s not just an individual who feels these effects, but entire communities. In upstate South Carolina, public services in Cherokee,…
Like many coal communities in Appalachia, Eastern Kentucky is tackling economic transition by diversifying its economic bases and creating new opportunities. Emerging industries such as information technology (IT), computer science and engineering have shown promise, but a shortage of IT talent was keeping the region from reaching its full potential. …
Since 2015, ARC’s POWER Initiative has invested millions in projects working to create jobs, fuel new industries, and prepare workers and students for new opportunities in coal communities. The largest POWER funding package to date was awarded in October 2022, with particular momentum for one emerging sector: local food. …
