Investments in Action

Every year, ARC investments support hundreds of economic development projects benefiting Appalachia’s 423 counties. Projects align with one of five goals outlined in our current Strategic Plan. The resulting investments ultimately help Appalachian communities address economic disparity and advance prosperity.

Explore stories from ARC projects and partners across the Appalachian Region.

States & Counties
See All
Topics
See All
Clear all filters
Community Recovery Program’s Program Manager Lisa Smith with the Champions award for community collaboration.
Virginia

City of Martinsville, Henry, Patrick

Piedmont Community Services Board: Expanding Community Connection in Virginia

Community Recovery Program’s Program Manager Lisa Smith with the Champions award for community collaboration. Across the Commonwealth of Virginia, Community Service Boards (CSBs) serve as joint partnerships between state and local governments to meet critical behavioral health needs in every county. Piedmont Regional Community Services Board has long served as one of…
Ohio

Lawrence

Ironton-Lawrence Community Action Organization: Expanding Recovery Ecosystems in OH, KY and WV

The Ironton-Lawrence Community Action Organization (ILCAO) is dedicated to improving the well-being of residents of Lawrence County, Ohio by providing assistance for housing, homelessness, and nutrition, early childhood services, and job training opportunities. Together these services are having a critical impact in a county where economic distress is steadily increasing. Now, with a $500,000 grant from ARC’s INvestments Supporting Partnerships…
Tennessee

Hamblen

Helping Women Enter the Recovery-to-Work Ecosystem in Appalachian Tennessee

Across Appalachia, developing a ready workforce must include helping workers re-enter and retain employment. Since 2017, the staff at the Helen Ross McNabb Center in Morristown, Tennessee, has been doing just that. The McNabb Center’s Jail to Work program gives women serving in county jails on drug offenses the…
West Virginia

Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, Wyoming

The Natural Capital Investment Fund: A Path To Success

In 2016, the Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIFund) partnered with the Hatfield McCoy Trail Authority and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Southern) to drive recreational tourism development in the coalfields of southern West Virginia. Through ARC POWER funding, the partners launched a revolving loan…
Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia

Athens

Appalachian States Lead on COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

It’s been a full year since the nation’s first confirmed COVID-19 case. With federal plans to amp up vaccinations as soon as possible, it’s important to take a look at how Appalachian states are responding to, and in some cases leading, vaccination…
West Virginia

Braxton, McDowell, Monongalia, Wayne

On the Road to Recovery with Reintegrate Appalachia

Individuals overcoming substance use disorder (SUD) often face a series of overwhelming obstacles when reentering their communities. Workplace stigmas around addiction, a lack of transportation to services and unsupportive living situations can all stand in the way of successful long-term recovery. To help individuals navigate these types of barriers,…
North Carolina

Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania

Creating PPE for Nurses and School Officials in Western North Carolina

STEMwork in western North Carolina (WNCSTEMwork) is a teacher professional development initiative of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology, and Science at North Carolina State University. With ARC support, this program supports six middle and high school teachers from ten counties as they develop their capacity to lead and…
EdVenture Group's SWEEP Program in WV
West Virginia

Calhoun, Fayette, Gilmer, Lincoln, Mingo, Wyoming

SWEEP: Training West Virginia’s Entrepreneurs

“About 80% of West Virginia businesses have 20 or less employees,” said Alyssa Keedy, the Advanced Career Education Coordinator at the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). Why is that the case? One reason is a disconnect between West Virginia workers and the skills needed by local employers. With many…
West Virginia

Fayette, Nicholas, Raleigh, Summers

Active Southern West Virginia: Getting Appalachians Moving

With only one in three adults physically active, West Virginia has high rates of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. These health outcomes directly affect workforce readiness and productivity, economic development, and overall quality of life in communities. To get West Virginians moving – and health trends moving in the…
Mississippi

Oktibbeha

The Communiversity: Transforming Manufacturing in Mississippi

The Communiversity at East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence 2.0, is a state-of-the-art workforce training center looking to produce trained workers for some of the world’s most technically advanced manufacturers. ARC has invested $10.7 million in the 135,000-square-foot facility that delivers training and education to support…