Washington, D.C., May 6, 2021–Gayle Conelly Manchin was sworn in today as the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) thirteenth federal co-chair, becoming the first ARC federal co-chair from West Virginia. Nominated by President Biden, Manchin will work directly with ARC’s 13 member governors, their state alternates and program managers, and a network of local development districts to continue to…

INvestments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative Focuses on Recovery-to-Work Efforts as Part of Recovery Ecosystem WASHINGTON, D.C., April 1, 2021—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded more than $9.4 million to 30 projects through INvestments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE), an initiative addressing Appalachia’s…

Applications Due May 1, 2021  WASHINGTON, D.C., March 15, 2021—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) began accepting applications for the third class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a leadership and economic development training opportunity for people who currently live and/or work in Appalachia. The Appalachian Leadership Institute is an extensive nine-month program focusing on skill-building,…

Virtual discussion series will gather input to inform ARC’s strategic investment plan for fiscal years 2022-2026 Washington, D.C., March 9, 2021 – Today, Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced Envision Appalachia: Community Conversations for ARC’s Strategic Plan, a virtual series of public input sessions to identify critical opportunities and challenges…

Recipients will use funds to expand skilled workforce capacity for Appalachia’s Energy, Aerospace, Aviation, Automotive, and Petrochemical Industries Washington, D.C., March 2, 2021 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) announced five grant awards for the …

Recommendations and Twelve Community Case Studies Available for Use in Local Tourism Planning  WASHINGTON, D.C., February 10, 2021 – Today, Appalachian Regional Commission released Extending Our Welcome: Trends and Strategies for Tourism in Appalachia, a new report produced in partnership with University of Tennessee Knoxville and Collective Impact. Using qualitative and quantitative research, including publicly…

ARC’s unique federal-state partnership model invested more than $160 million in Appalachia’s economic development during Fiscal Year 2020  WASHINGTON, D.C., February 3, 2021— Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has been selected to serve as the Appalachian Regional Commission’s States’ Co-chair for 2021. As part of ARC’s unique federal-state partnership structure, the states’ co-chair works with the federal office of the ARC and…

Applications Due March 1, 2021 WASHINGTON, D.C., January 21, 2021—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) began accepting applications for two summer opportunities: the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) and the ARC/Oak Ridge Summer STEM Program in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Both programs are free intensive learning experiences specifically for the Region’s high school and/or…

Proposed projects advancing to final round will expand skilled workforce capacity for Appalachia’s Energy, Aerospace, Aviation, Automotive, and Petrochemical Industries Washington, D.C., January 19, 2021 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) announced five finalists for the…

On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to fund the Federal Government for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The legislation includes $180 million for ARC, an increase from the previous year’s appropriation and record funding for the agency’s non-highway work. The legislation…

For Women, Disease of Despair Mortality Rates  in Appalachia  Over 45 Percent Higher Than Rest of Country  Washington, D.C., November, 19, 2020 —  Appalachian Diseases of Despair, a new report from the Appalachian Regional Commission finds that despite overall declining mortality rates from diseases of despair (overdose, suicide, and…

150 Students from 13 Colleges and Universities in 10 Appalachian States to Participate in Online Symposium WASHINGTON, D.C., November 13, 2020 —Today, Friday, November 13 and tomorrow, Saturday, November 14, 2020, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will host 150 students from 13 Appalachian based colleges and universities at the 20th annual Appalachian Teaching Project (ATP) Conference.   ATP is an applied-research academic program…

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 12, 2020 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced that Brandon McBride will join the Agency as ARC’s Executive Director. As the Executive Director, McBride will lead the administrative, programmatic, and fiscal management of ARC to ensure that the organization’s structure, budget, and programs support…