Our Work In North Carolina In partnership with the North Carolina Department of Commerce, ARC is supporting 27 projects in North Carolina totaling $7.4 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. These investments have been matched by $10.4 million and are attracting an additional $254.1 million in leveraged private investments in…

Jim McCleskey’s roots in North Carolina’s Appalachian region go back to colonial days. He was appointed in 1999 as Director of the North Carolina Washington Office and as ARC Alternate by Governor James B. Hunt Jr. and was reappointed by Governors Michael F. Easley in 2001, Beverly Eaves Perdue in…

Grant partner the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will use $50,000 in POWER funds tostudy the potential of an artisanal tannery industry on tribal lands. Seeking to draw on centuries of hunting, trapping and tanning traditions, EBCI hopes that the tannery will promote access to high quality food and entrepreneurship…

The fund provides flexible loans to small businesses for both immediate economic needs and long-term rebuilding efforts in the Tar Heel State. Washington, D.C., November 8, 2024 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded $3.5 million to Mountain BizWorks to bolster its new fund supporting…

Asheville, North Carolina, serves as a successful model for economic revitalization in Appalachia. Tourists from far and wide seek out its rich cultural history, outdoor recreation opportunities, culinary scene and much more. As a result, entrepreneurship and business growth has helped diversify its economy and create numerous employment opportunities for…

ARC POWER partners are using millions to make financial resources accessible for coal-impacted communities.

Building Appalachia’s infrastructure has been an ARC investment priority for nearly 60 years, especially the development and maintenance of basic infrastructure systems, highway and utility access, expanding broadband, and developing sites to attract new businesses. ARC’s Area Development Program invested $92.1 million in community infrastructure Fiscal Year 2022. When…

For Philip Cooper, helping his community recover from substance use disorder is a personal, lifelong commitment.

ARC partners are expanding outdoor gear manufacturing sector.

Since 2016, Wilkes Recovery Revolution, Inc. (WRR) has worked to make recovery a reality in North Carolina. WRR was founded by Devin Lyall,  whose own experience in long-term recovery helps inform the nonprofit’s services, peer-driven structure and leadership – including a board of directors made up of over 50% individuals in recovery. WRR’s partnership with ARC began in 2019, when Lyall began…