Appalachia’s 74 Local Development Districts play a critical role in community and economic growth, often serving as the primary development organizations in rural areas. With a variety of federal funding sources available, LDDs need support to help their communities identify, access, and best utilize these opportunities.
Through READY LDDs, ARC has awarded nearly $4 million to 41 LDDs across 11 Appalachian states. Recipients will use funds to increase staffing and capacity to support local governments and nonprofits in the management of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and other sources.
ARC Awards $1 Million through READY LDDs
In October 2023, ARC awarded $1 million to 10 LDDs across nine Appalachian states. This award brought ARC to a grand total of nearly $4 million awarded in just five months to help recipients hire staff and expand support for their communities.
Why Provide Financial Assistance?
READY LDDs is a follow-up to ARC’s Community Capacity Building Pilot Program, which provided expert training and peer-learning opportunities to local governments and LDDs across Appalachia.
Though the program helped 650 participants from 408 counties better leverage the ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, participants emphasized their need for more technical assistance and staff to access and manage federal funds. READY LDDs is designed to help LDDs meet those needs.
If you are an Appalachian LDD, local government official (or key staff) who wishes to access recordings, slides, and case studies from the program, please email ready@arc.gov to gain access to the Community Capacity Training Hub.
