We’re excited to announce that five JTF partners have been awarded funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s ARISE and POWER initiatives!
Through ARISE, ARC has announced the following planning grants, designed to support applications for larger implementation grants, to two coalitions in Central Appalachia.
- Appalachian Beginning Forest Farmer Coalition was awarded a $490,647 ARISE grant to support a planning project seeking to grow forest farming business ventures and the Non-Timber Forest Products supply chain across Central Appalachia, strengthening the agriculture and tourism sectors in this region. The JTF made a grant to Appalachian Sustainable Development on behalf of the coalition to support this application.
- Central Appalachian Network (CAN) New Era Planning Project was awarded $498,300 for their efforts to build community capacity, support entrepreneurs in emerging sectors, and develop innovative regional solutions. The JTF made a grant to Rural Action on behalf of CAN to support this application.
ARC has also announced the following recipients of POWER grants. Altogether, it is estimated that these three projects will create 120 jobs, train 210 workers, and connect 857 unserved households and businesses with high speed internet in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
- Marshall University Research Corporation (formerly known as Robert C. Byrd Institute) was awarded $995,677 for their project titled Leveraging Opportunities to Grow Industry Careers (LOGIC) to establish an Advanced Manufacturing Technology training program in West Virginia.
- Mountain Association was awarded $1.5 million for their project titled Underserved People and Places: Community Economic Development for Those Who Need It Most to support existing and emerging small businesses and nonprofits and create economic opportunity in eastern Kentucky.
- Washington County Development Authority was awarded $2.5 million for Washington County’s East Finley Broadband Expansion project to deploy over 100 miles of fiber to disconnected households in coal-impacted southwestern Pennsylvania.
Through our Federal Access Center, JTF provided grants and technical assistance to support these partners in their application development. The FAC assists coal communities in overcoming barriers to accessing federal funds – high matching requirements, time-intensive application processes – to help them leverage funding to strengthen local economies.
If you are working in a transitioning coal community and need assistance applying for federal funds, please contact us by filling out this brief inquiry form. Congratulations once again to our partners!
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