On October 8, 2019, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced a $44.4 million investment package to revitalize and diversify the economies of Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities through the POWER Initiative (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization).
These 54 awards are projected to create or retain over 5,700 jobs, leverage more than $39 million in private investment, create and/or retain 2,940 businesses, and train thousands of workers and students within the broadband, entrepreneurship, substance abuse recovery, tourism and other industry sectors across coal-impacted communities in nine Appalachian states.
The lovely Cumberland Manor B&B, where Storm stayed during his work in Middleboro. Photo by Storm Cunningham.
One of the $1.5 million POWER grant winners was eastern Kentucky. This includes Middlesboro, which hired REVITALIZATION publisher Storm Cunningham to do a local workshop several years back.
The funding will support a strategic partnership called the ReVitalize, ReInvest, ReDevelop Appalachia Initiative (R3)—reminiscent of the 3Re Strategy that Storm teaches—which will help spur the revitalization of eastern Kentucky downtowns like Middlesboro’s.
“The downturn of the coal market has been devastating to Appalachian communities, especially those that relied on coal extraction and related supply chains for generations. POWER grants are playing a critical role in supporting these communities as they diversify economies, invest in growth-oriented infrastructure, train a next-generation workforce, and ingrain resiliency and hope into their local fabric,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas.
“Ensuring a prosperous future in coal-impacted communities is something Appalachia will do together. I am very proud of the leadership and innovation shown by this round of POWER grantees,” he added.
More than $14.6 million, or 33 percent, of these investments will develop business incubators, increase access to capital, and provide other services to advance entrepreneurship in Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and West Virginia.
Over $13 million, or nearly 30 percent, of these investments will support broadband development and expansion in rural and/or under-served areas in New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
More than $8.3 million, or 19 percent, of these investments will focus on workforce-to-recovery and other comprehensive strategies to strengthen the recovery ecosystem in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Photo by Ken Thomas via Wikipedia shows the statue of John Henry (The “Steel-drivin’ Man” of song and legend) outside the town of Talcott (one of the award winners) in Summers County, West Virginia.