ARC’s POWER Initiative

The POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative targets federal resources to help communities and regions that have been affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production.

In 2021, ARC announced its largest POWER grant package to date, which will leverage entrepreneurship, workforce development, and infrastructure to bolster re-employment opportunities, create jobs in existing or new industries, and attract new sources of investment.

POWER’s Impact in Appalachia

$294.7M

Invested

369

Projects Supported

354

Coal-Impacted Communities

Since 2015, ARC has invested nearly $294.7 million in 369 projects touching 354 counties across Appalachia through the POWER Initiative. Together, these investments are projected to create or retain more than 35,300 jobs, leverage more than $1.5 billion in additional private investment into Appalachia’s economy, and prepare tens of thousands of workers and students for opportunities in entrepreneurship, broadband development, tourism, and other industry sectors. POWER investments also support workforce-to-recovery and other comprehensive strategies to strengthen the Region’s Recovery Ecosystem.

Press Release

POWER 2021 Announcement

In September 2021, ARC announced its largest POWER package to date – nearly $46.4 million for 57 projects across 184 counties to support economic diversification in the Region’s coal-impacted communities.

Report

The POWER of Change

ARC has partnered with Chamberlin/Dunn LLC, a third-party research firm, to monitor, analyze, and evaluate POWER investments. A new report found that projects funded through POWER grants met or exceeded targets for jobs retained and/or created, businesses created, workers trained, and revenues increased.

Stories of Change

The Alabama Community College System offers job training at no cost.

This story is one of several “Stories of Change” highlighted in a new evaluation of ARC’s POWER Initiative.

ARC partners are expanding outdoor gear manufacturing sector.

This story is one of several “Stories of Change” highlighted in a new evaluation of ARC’s POWER Initiative.

Research and Data Resources

Success Factors, Challenges, and Early Impacts of the POWER Initiative An Implementation Evaluation

An analysis and evaluation of the POWER Initiative conducted by Chamberlin/Dunn LLC

POWER Initiative Evaluation: Factors and Results of Project Implementation

The culmination of two consecutive years of implementation and outcomes evaluation of the POWER Initiative conducted by Chamberlin/Dunn LLC

An Overview of Coal and the Economy in Appalachia

This report details major trends in coal employment and production over the past two decades.

An Economic Analysis of the Appalachian Coal Industry Ecosystem

This series of five ARC-commissioned reports explores some of the current and potential impacts of Appalachia’s declining coal production on elements of the coal ecosystem, including production and employment, supply chain industries, transportation, electric power generation, and human capital.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia

This series of reports explores entrepreneurial activity throughout Appalachia and offers strategies and best practices for communities seeking to build and sustain their entrepreneurial ecosystems.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Self-Employment, Industrial Diversity, and Growth in Appalachia

This research examines the impact of industry-specific entrepreneurship on overall employment growth in Appalachia.

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