ARC announced the formation of the Substance Abuse Advisory Council (SAAC), a 24-member volunteer advisory group of leaders from law enforcement, recovery services, health, economic development, private industry, education, state government and other sectors. The SAAC will develop recommendations for ARC to consider as part of a strategic plan to…

The final reports in the Creating a Culture of Health in Appalachia research initiative are a set of three issue briefs created to help inform community efforts related to the specific, prevalent Appalachian health issues of obesity, opioid misuse, and smoking. This brief summarizes relevant health statistics, offers key strategies…

On April 8, 2019, ARC began accepting applications for the inaugural class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute a new 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, seminars, best practice…

On April 3, 2019, ARC announced announced $3.3 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. These investments focus on strengthening responses to the substance abuse crisis Kentucky and Ohio, and building a sustainable local…

In February 2019, ARC released a state-by-state overview of the Commission’s fiscal year 2018 economic development investments in the Appalachian Region. The overview includes 13 state investment fact sheets, as well as a companion fact sheet outlining ARC’s regional investments during the fiscal year.

On February 21, 2019, ARC announced announced $22.8 million to expand and diversify the economy in Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative. These 33 awards are projected to create or retain nearly 1,000 jobs, benefit over 3,300 students and workers, and…

Strengthening Economic Resilience in Appalachia, identifies factors common across communities experiencing persistent economic growth in the aftermath of the 2008 Recession and other economic disruptions. The research includes a statistical analysis of key factors common to economic resilience, as well as a guidebook featuring ten communities that have rebounded after…

Chosen by his fellow Appalachian governors to serve as the Commission's 2019 states' co-chair, Cooper 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 18th 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…

On October 11, ARC announced $26.5 million to continue expanding and diversifying the economy in Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative. These 35 awards are projected to create or retain over 5,400 jobs and leverage more than $193 million in private…

A suite of new research reports and resources to support entrepreneurial development in Appalachia outline core elements necessary for a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, analyze community case studies to provide insight into the unique challenges faced by communities in Appalachia, and offer recommendations to support future economic development across the Region.

Three new resources released by ARC, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky offer a fresh approach to understanding health in Appalachia by focusing on community strengths and identifying local factors supporting a Culture of Health. The resources include case studies of ten “Bright Spot”…

Developed by NORC at the University of Chicago and ARC, the Appalachian Overdose Mapping Tool integrates overdose mortality rates for Appalachia's 420 counties with data on socioeconomic factors including unemployment, poverty, disability, and others.

In February 2018, ARC released a state-by-state overview of the Commission’s fiscal year 2017 economic development investments in the Appalachian Region. The overview includes 13 state investment fact sheets, as well as a companion fact sheet outlining ARC’s regional investments during the fiscal year.

On February 1, ARC issued a request for proposals (RFP) for 2018 POWER Initiative funding to help Appalachia's coal-impacted communities create a more vibrant economic future. The Commission is making up to $20 million available through the RFP.