Calendar Year



ARC Announces Appalachian Leadership Institute Fellows for 2022-2023

New class of 40 fellows represents public, private, and nonprofit sectors across Appalachia’s 13 states WASHINGTON, D.C., October 6, 2022—Today the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced the 40 fellows selected for the 2022-2023 Class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a free leadership and economic development training opportunity for…
News


POWER Initiative Evaluation: The Value of POWER

Since 2015, ARC has funded 395 projects under the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative to empower Appalachian communities to create more vibrant, diverse, and sustainable economies. To understand successes, challenges, and lessons learned through implementation, as well as to examine results of POWER projects, ARC…
Report


Coal Production and Employment in Appalachia, 2022

The coal industry—both in Appalachia and in the United States as a whole—has undergone a severe downturn over the last decade as demand for coal has fallen across the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated recession weighed down on coal production even more. This report details major trends in…
Report
Entire Region

ARC Launches $73.5 Million Grant Initiative in FY22 to Spur Multistate Collaboration to Transform Appalachia’s Economy Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23, 2022—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) launched Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE), a new initiative to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through multi-state collaborative projects across Appalachia. Using the funding provided by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment…
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Appalachian Regional Commission Strategic Plan: Synthesis Report

In the Spring of 2021, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), in partnership with Maher & Maher, embarked on a series of stakeholder engagement activities. The purpose was to gather input regarding the strengths, challenges, and opportunities facing the Region, along with ideas for strategies and solutions to advance economic prosperity.
Report


The Coal Industry and Funding Support for Education in Appalachia

These two reports examine the relationship between coal activity and funding for elementary and secondary education in Appalachia. The first report is a descriptive analysis examining patterns in funding throughout the Region, and the second used econometric analysis to examine how changes in coal activity have impacted this funding.
Report


Economic Structure in Appalachia’s Metro Regions

This research identifies industries that might be further developed to strengthen industrial clusters—and support overall economic development—in each of the micro- and metropolitan areas wholly within the Appalachian Region. Overview Regional Overview and Methodology Supplements How to Use Findings from…
Report


A Shift-Share Analysis of the Appalachian Region

This exploratory analysis examines industry-specific employment trends across Appalachia and identifies the industries that may have a locational advantage in each of Appalachia’s 420 counties. Findings may prove useful in devising regional economic development strategies.  Appalachian Region ARC Overview Appalachian States…
Report


An Economic Analysis of Appalachian Power Industry Ecosystems

This report explores the implications of the changing power industry and the variations in impact across the Appalachian Region. Similar to past work examining the coal industry ecosystem, three measures are examined at the county level throughout Appalachia: dependence, impact, and risk.  Full Report An…
Report
Entire Region

ARC Awards $5.5 Million to 17 Projects that Provide Training and Work Support to Individuals Recovering from Substance Use Disorder

The second round of 2021 INvestments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) grants expand on collaborative recovery-to-work efforts to help Appalachian communities, businesses, and individuals succeed.WASHINGTON, D.C., November 16, 2021—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded $5.5 million to 17 projects through…
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Subregions in Appalachia

This map shows the Appalachian Region divided into five subregions: northern, north central, central, south central, and southern Appalachia.
Map