Investments in Action

Every year, ARC investments support hundreds of economic development projects benefiting Appalachia’s 423 counties. Projects align with one of five goals outlined in our current Strategic Plan. The resulting investments ultimately help Appalachian communities address economic disparity and advance prosperity.

Explore stories from ARC projects and partners across the Appalachian Region.

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West Virginia

Boone, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mingo

The REACH Initiative: Offering a Helping Hand to West Virginians in Recovery  

The journey through justice system involvement, recovery from substance use disorder and workforce re-entry is longer and more complex than most realize. Investing in partners, such as The REACH Initiative in Charleston, West Virginia, that make this process easier for Appalachians is a key part of…
West Virginia

Ohio

Grow Ohio Valley: Empowering Food Access and Entrepreneurs

What started as an after-school urban gardening program has since blossomed into Grow Ohio Valley (Grow OV), an operation with around 50 employees working toward a single mission: improve the health and economic future of Wheeling, West Virginia, through local food. It’s a great mission for…
Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia

Central Appalachia: Growing Opportunities Through Local Food

Since 2015, ARC’s POWER Initiative has invested millions in projects working to create jobs, fuel new industries, and prepare workers and students for new opportunities in coal communities. The largest POWER funding package to date was awarded in October 2022, with particular momentum for one emerging sector: local food. …
New York, West Virginia

Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua Preston

Trail Systems: Guiding Communities to Opportunities

Every Appalachian state has ample trail opportunities, from the Tanglefoot Trail in Mississippi to South Carolina’s Swamp Rabbit Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Trails are incredible gateways for attracting outside visitors and increasing quality of life for community members.  ARC partners have long worked to establish trail systems…
Appalachian Teaching Project Students
West Virginia

Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Summers, Webster

West Virginia University Research Corporation: Inspiring Hope in the Mountain State

West Virginia, though improving in many measures, has the most drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people of any other state. Fortunately, the Mountain State also has an incredible host of ARC partners, local leaders, and community members committed to overcoming this challenge. This list includes West Virginia University Research Corporation and the Institute for Community and Rural Health (WVU…
West Virginia

Boone, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, Wyoming

The Natural Capital Investment Fund: A Path To Success

In 2016, the Natural Capital Investment Fund (NCIFund) partnered with the Hatfield McCoy Trail Authority and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College (Southern) to drive recreational tourism development in the coalfields of southern West Virginia. Through ARC POWER funding, the partners launched a revolving loan…