Leadership Development and Capacity Building



READY Local Governments Course Materials

This workbook was created exclusively for the 2024 READY Local Governments training program by an external contractor to guide participants through the course. While the intended audience was local government entities, the content may be useful to all ARC applicants and grantees who are looking to access tools…
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READY Grants to Grow

READY Grants to Grow is a $9 million funding opportunity that will award grants of up to $500,000 to organizations seeking to build individual, organizational and/or community capacity across the region.
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READY Community Foundations – Pre-Application Webinar

Community foundations serving Appalachia are invited to join an informational webinar on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. ET to learn about READY Community Foundations. This no-cost, six-week virtual training program is designed to help community foundation leaders build skills in effective operations, fundraising, and programming. Following…
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READY Community Foundations

In many areas of Appalachia, community foundations are the only philanthropic option for nonprofits, local government entities and other community groups. READY Community Foundations provides no-cost training to help these organizations strengthen operations, programming and fundraising. Following completion of the training program, participants will be eligible to apply for…
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READY Local Governments

Appalachia’s local governments are the backbone of economic and community development. With more federal funding available than ever, local governments need support to apply for these opportunities and leverage federal support to create lasting, positive change.  READY Local Governments provides no-cost training to help local government officials better identify, secure,…
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Stop 5: Building Community Leaders and Capacity

ARC is hitting the road to showcase the five goals of our 2022-2026 strategic plan, Appalachia Envisioned. At Stop #5, we’ll focus on building Appalachia’s community leaders and capacity. This event – our final stop – will feature elected officials, economic development leaders, and community…
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READY Appalachia: How to Manage a Grant

ARC hosts its first READY Appalachia convening for new grantees and existing applicants! READY Nonprofits and READY LDDs grantees and existing applicants will learn directly from program staff on how to make reports and request payments, about how to comply with federal grant regulations, and about best practices…
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Kentucky

Rural Partners Network Community Forum in Pineville, KY

Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation is hosting this forum for local government, nonprofits, and community partners working in these Appalachian Kentucky counties: Bell, Clay, Harlan, Knox, Leslie, Letcher, Perry, Whitley, and adjacent counties. The event will build collaboration, capacity, and relationships by connecting the Community…
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Looking Forward: ARPA in Appalachia

Gain valuable insight on how the American Rescue Plan Act State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) is poised to add jobs and attract additional investment in a multi-county area in TN. Learn about how a NC local development district is working with their communities to maximize the impact of…
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West Virginia

Libera, Inc: Empowering Women and Teens in West Virginia 

In West Virginia, Libera, Inc. is working to help women and teens embody the state’s beloved motto, “montani semper liberi,” or “mountaineers are always free.” Named for the feminine form of the word “liberi,” Libera envisions a Mountain State where every woman and teen is free…
Investment in Action
Alabama

Fayette

Lisa Bright: Breaking Barriers to Recovery

When Will Bright passed away in 2014 from an overdose, his mother, Lisa Bright, knew she had to turn her pain into purpose. She and her husband, Bill, started the Will Bright Foundation to both honor their son and provide others with a safe, supportive environment for their recovery…
Investment in Action
Kentucky

Whitley

Why Whitley: Designing a New Community Narrative

In 2018 in Whitley County, Kentucky, a group of passionate citizens held a dinner to discuss ways to change the narrative surrounding the community. There were so many things to be proud of within the county, but it seemed like news coverage consistently revolved around the same, tired stereotype of…
Investment in Action
North Carolina

Philip Cooper: Inspiring Change

For Philip Cooper, helping his community recover from substance use disorder is a personal, lifelong commitment.
Investment in Action
North Carolina

EmPOWERing North Carolina’s Farmers and Small Businesses

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 to…
Investment in Action
Kentucky

BRIGHT Kentucky: Leading the Region’s Future

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,…
Investment in Action