The Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative targets federal resources to expand economic opportunities for coal communities. POWER projects strengthen a variety of industries, including advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and workforce development, to bolster re-employment opportunities, create jobs in existing and new industries, and attract new sources of private investment in coal communities.
POWER’s Impact in Appalachia
Since 2015, ARC has invested nearly $518 million in 605 projects touching at least 365 counties across Appalachia through the POWER Initiative. Together, these investments are projected to leverage nearly $1.9 billion in additional private investment in coal communities. These investments are projected to have created or retained nearly 54,000 jobs and prepared nearly 190,000 workers and students for new opportunities in advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship, tourism, agriculture and other growing industries.
Investments in Action
POWER Success Stories
Featured Resources
POWER Initiative Evaluations
Learn more about the results of our ongoing evaluation of the POWER Initiative, documenting successes, challenges and lessons learned from past and current grantees, as well as early impacts of the grants.
An Overview of Coal and the Economy in Appalachia
This report details major trends in coal employment and production in the Appalachian Region over the past two decades.
