Appalachian local governments are the backbone of economic and community development. However, they often lack the capacity and resources to navigate the federal funding landscape to create positive, lasting change.
READY Local Governments provides no-cost training to help local government officials better identify, secure, manage and implement federally funded projects.
Following completion of the training program, participants will be eligible for up to $50,000 in funding (no-match required) to implement internal capacity building projects to help them better serve communities.
ARC Awards Over $2.8 Million to 59 Local Governments
In June 2025, ARC awarded over $2.8 million to 59 local government entities in 12 Appalachian states. Funds will be used to implement internal capacity-building projects that will help them better address their communities’ economic development needs.
Expanding Skillsets
READY Local Governments participants grow their skills in areas including:
- Project Identification, Research, and Planning
- The Grant Lifecycle
- Federal Grant Application Development
- Community Engagement
- Federal Grant Regulations and Compliance
- Federal Grant Financial and Risk Management
Helping All Communities Access Resources
Any borough, city, county, municipality, parish, town, township or federally recognized Indian tribe in the Appalachian Region is eligible for READY Local Governments.
Municipalities serving economically distressed counties are strongly encouraged to participate.
Contact Us
If you have questions about applications, please contact our team at ready@arc.gov.