WASHINGTON, D.C., May 11, 2020—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced a $3.75 million grant to Appalachian Community Capital (ACC) for the ARC-ACC Emergency Business Response Assistance Program to strengthen and stabilize the Region’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other mission-driven development finance lenders serving small businesses impacted by COVID-19…

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 16, 2020—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced an investment of $300,000 to The Industrial Commons, in Morganton, North Carolina, to purchase materials and coordinate staff to manufacture needed medical safety gear to fulfill product demand across the Appalachian Region and the nation. The Industrial Commons,…

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13, 2020—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) began accepting applications for the second class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a leadership and economic development training opportunity for community leaders who currently live and/or work in Appalachia. The Appalachian Leadership Institute is an extensive nine-month program focusing on skill-building,…

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 26, 2020—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced announced two new tools documenting the spread of COVID-19 at the regional and county levels.The first tool, the COVID-19 Cases in Appalachia map, displays the current number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Appalachia, and throughout the United…

On February 26, ARC announced Envision Appalachia: Community Conversations for ARC’s Strategic Plan, a series of public input sessions to identify critical opportunities and challenges facing Appalachia’s economic future. Using insights gathered from these public sessions, coupled with guidance from regional, state, and local partners, ARC will develop a strategic…

On February 19, 2020, ARC announced that Philip M. Heneghan has been appointed ARC Inspector General and will head the Agency’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).

On February 12, 2020, ARC announced $3.3 million in investments to continue supporting economic diversification in the Region’s coal-impacted communities through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative.

ARC is accepting applications for the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and for the ARC/ORNL Summer STEM Program in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Each program is a free immersive learning experience specifically for the Region’s high school and/or middle school students, and includes room and board, transportation, activity fees,…

Chosen by his fellow Appalachian governors to serve as the Commission's 2020 states' co-chair, DeWine will work directly with the ARC federal co-chair in this leadership role to continue the agency's commitment to economic growth in the 13-state Appalachian Region.

ARC will host 150 students from 15 Appalachian based colleges and universities at the 19th annual Appalachian Teaching Project Conference in Washington, D.C. Supported by ARC and organized by the Center for Appalachian Studies and Services at East Tennessee State University (ETSU), ATP is an applied-research training program for college…

ARC released a new report examining employment and earnings across the Region. Drawing on data from 15 industry sectors, the report catalogues how the Region’s industrial make-up and earnings compare to that of the country as a whole.

On October 8, 2019, ARC announced $44.4 million to continue supporting economic diversification in the Region’s coal-impacted communities through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative.

ARC announced 40 Fellows who will be participating in the inaugural class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute. The class draws on each one of Appalachia’s 13 states, and includes public policy, community development, education, investment, and other professionals who live and/or work in the Region.

ARC’s Substance Abuse Advisory Council (SAAC) presented a final Report of Recommendations outlining proposed steps for supporting a robust recovery ecosystem in Appalachia, including developing community playbooks, model workforce training programs, employer toolkits, and community navigation programs.

ARC has released a new synopsis report of the Recovery-to-Work listening sessions hosted by the Commission in six states (AL, KY, NC, OH, VA, WV) from December 2018-April 2019. The report summarizes the outcome of those community-based discussions and identifies five common themes that ARC should consider when addressing the…