Public, private and nonprofit leaders throughout Appalachia are encouraged to apply for ARC’s free eight-month training program.
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 16, 2026 —Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) opened applications for the eighth class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), an eight-month leadership development training opportunity with a focus on economic development in Appalachia. Anyone living or working in Appalachia’s 423 counties is eligible to apply.
The program, at no cost to participants, focuses on skill-building, mentoring and collaboration to grow Appalachia’s economic future. The curriculum comprises six multi-day seminars across Appalachia, each focusing on one of ARC’s investment priorities, and concludes with a graduation ceremony in Binghamton, New York.
From October 2026 to June 2027, the eighth cohort of fellows will learn to:
- Recognize and utilize unique assets in their communities to build economic development plans.
- Identify and implement strategies to strengthen their communities through improved infrastructure, business development, workforce development, tourism and community skill-building.
- Collaborate with a network of leaders across Appalachia on strategies to expand the region’s future growth.
“By bringing together changemakers from across our 13 states, ARC’s Appalachian Leadership Institute not only invests in the future of our Appalachian economy, but also in the future of our Appalachian people,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I’m confident the members of our eighth cohort will continue the institute’s work of learning and sharing by using collaboration as a tool to help our region reach its full economic potential, and I look forward to seeing the applications we receive.”
The Appalachian Leadership Institute is limited to 40 fellows each year and includes participants from each of the 13 Appalachian states. Applicants may be from the public, private or non-profit sectors, and each class represents a wide network of experiences.
“We’ve made it clear in Mississippi and the Appalachian Region that we are going to compete and win when it comes to economic growth and opportunity. That takes leadership,” said ARC 2026 States’ Co-Chair, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. “The Appalachian Leadership Institute is helping build that leadership pipeline across our state and region. I encourage Appalachians who are ready to step up and make an impact to apply and be part of that effort.”
Upon completion of the program, fellows automatically join the ALI Alumni Network, a peer-to-peer working group committed to collaborative solutions that strengthen Appalachia. The alumni network provides an opportunity to stay connected to the network of more than 200 ALI alumni and to continue learning from leaders in Appalachian economic development.
Applications for the 2026-2027 class are open through June 1, 2026. To learn more about the program and apply, visit: arc.gov/leadership.
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About the Appalachian Leadership Institute
The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a comprehensive regional leadership training program developed by the Appalachian Regional Commission in partnership with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Tuskegee University; and Collective Impact. The current class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute includes representatives from a variety of sectors and industries such as education, healthcare, economic development, public service, and other professions.
About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to invest and partner to strengthen economic development in Appalachia to help the region reach its full economic potential.