North Carolina

North Carolina

Pathways to Food and Economic Security in Appalachia’s Indigenous Communities 

Grant partner the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will use $50,000 in POWER funds tostudy the potential of an artisanal tannery industry on tribal lands. Seeking to draw on centuries of hunting, trapping and tanning traditions, EBCI hopes that the tannery will promote access to high quality food and entrepreneurship…
Investment in Action
North Carolina

Buncombe

Land of Sky Regional Council: Expanding Recovery-to-Work Support Services in Western North Carolina

Asheville, North Carolina serves as a successful model for economic revitalization in Appalachia. Tourists from far and wide seek out its rich cultural history, outdoor recreation opportunities, culinary scene and much more. As a result, entrepreneurship and business growth has helped diversify its economy and create numerous employment opportunities for…
Investment in Action
North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee

Industrial Commons: Going Green to Revitalize Southern Appalachian Textile Manufacturing 

ARC’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) is a funding opportunity driving large-scale, regional economic transformation through multi-state collaborative projects. Launched in 2022 using funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, ARISE is strengthening Appalachian businesses and industries, and supporting the development of new opportunities across…
Investment in Action
North Carolina

Watauga

High Country Food Hub: Investing in Storage Capacity Reaps Rewards

Building Appalachia’s infrastructure has been an ARC investment priority for 58 years, especially the development and maintenance of basic infrastructure systems, highway and utility access, expanding broadband, and developing sites to attract new businesses. ARC’s Area Development Program invested $92.1 million in community infrastructure Fiscal Year 2022. When thinking…
Investment in Action
North Carolina

Philip Cooper: Inspiring Change

For Philip Cooper, helping his community recover from substance use disorder is a personal, lifelong commitment.
Investment in Action
North Carolina

Wilkes

Wilkes Recovery Revolution: Supporting Fresh Starts in North Carolina

Since 2016, Wilkes Recovery Revolution, Inc. (WRR) has worked to make recovery a reality in North Carolina. WRR was founded by Devin Lyall,  whose own experience in long-term recovery helps inform the nonprofit’s services, peer-driven structure and leadership – including a board of directors made up of over 50% individuals in recovery. WRR’s partnership with ARC began in 2019, when Lyall began…
Investment in Action
Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, West Virginia

Athens

Appalachian States Lead on COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts

It’s been a full year since the nation’s first confirmed COVID-19 case. With federal plans to amp up vaccinations as soon as possible, it’s important to take a look at how Appalachian states are responding to, and in some cases leading, vaccination…
Investment in Action
North Carolina

Buncombe

Creating PPE for Nurses and School Officials in Western North Carolina

STEMwork in western North Carolina (WNCSTEMwork) is a teacher professional development initiative of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology, and Science at North Carolina State University. With ARC support, this program supports six middle and high school teachers from ten counties as they develop their capacity to lead and…
Investment in Action
North Carolina

EmPOWERing North Carolina’s Farmers and Small Businesses

In October 2019, North Carolina State University (NCSU) received a $1.1 million grant from ARC’s POWER Initiative to launch EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems. The project initially intended to strengthen a seven-county “foodshed” in Western North Carolina by helping current producers become more profitable and training new farmers to…
Investment in Action