In October 2019, North Carolina State University (NCSU) received a $1.1 million grant from ARC’s POWER Initiative to launch EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems. The project initially intended to strengthen a seven-county “foodshed” in Western North Carolina by helping current producers become more profitable and training new farmers…
Behind the scenes as SOAR prepares for its online conference with partner at Coalfields Industrial Park in Perry County, Kentucky. In 2013, with ARC support, SOAR (Shaping our Appalachian Region) was established as a community based collaborative effort to embrace new ideas, leverage resources, and build capacity in eastern Kentucky. Headquartered…
BRIGHT Kentucky is a free training program building developed by the Leadership Kentucky Foundation to expand capacity of next-generation economic development leaders in the state’s 54 Appalachian counties. Made possible through support from ARC, The Kentucky Department of Local Government, the Whitaker Foundation, Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), and others,…
Investing in the next generation of Appalachian leaders must start now. In partnership with regional educational institutions, training programs, and community organizations, ARC supports a range of leadership and skill building opportunities for all age levels. From skill development programs for middle and high schoolers, to applied research opportunities for…
Funding from all types of private foundations is examined in this report, which shows how the Appalachian Region compares with the rest of the nation in obtaining foundation grants.