WASHINGTON, D.C., September 22, 2020—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) opened the Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center, a virtual training hub to help the Region’s nonprofits successfully navigate the COVID crisis. As part of the Center’s programming, teams from Regional nonprofits are invited to apply for dedicated technical assistance coaching focusing on long-term operational sustainability during the COVID crisis. Topics include: short-term financial management; long-term financial management; mission and operations; and fundraising. Each module will be offered in two rounds, one beginning in November, 2020 and another in early, 2021. Course lengths will span 5-11 weeks. Slots for 120 organizations are available.
Any registered nonprofit located in the ARC Region with two or more employees and a pre-pandemic operating budget of $100,000 or more during 2020 is eligible to apply. Applications are due Friday, October 9, 2020 at 5pm ET. Application materials and other guidance are available at AppalachiaNRC.arc.gov. For additional information, please email nonprofitTA@arc.gov.
In addition to training, the Center will soon publish an expertly curated collection of resources open to all nonprofit operations, regardless of participation in the coaching program. All Center services are provided free of charge.
“The COVID crisis has caused financial hardship for many of the important nonprofit organizations in Appalachian communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “The Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center will help those whose work is an essential part of a diverse economy, and will offer skills for long-term sustainability to ensure that nonprofits remain assets in our Region.”
The Appalachia Nonprofit Center is managed in partnership between ARC and Hargrove International, a Georgia-based consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, nonprofit management and asset-based economic development. With more than 30 years experience, the firm has worked on numerous projects with the Appalachian Regional Commission, as well as several state and federal agencies, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Geographic Society, and The Conservation Fund.
Since the COVID crisis began, ARC has been meeting regional demand by providing emergency access to capital for small businesses, investing in expanding broadband capabilities in rural communities, and supporting Appalachia’s manufacturers to quickly pivot into producing needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). More information about ARC’s response to the COVID crisis is available at arc.gov/coronavirus.
About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.