Calendar Year



Evaluation of ARC’s Health Grants

This report presents findings from an evaluation of ARC’s health grants that closed between fiscal years 2017 and 2021. Overall, the 96 grants included in the evaluation led to improvements for over 300,000 patients, almost 4,000 students and over 2,500 workers or trainees. Grant-funded projects supported over 300 organizations and…
Report


Appalachia Builds: Breaking New Ground for Economic Growth

Save the date! ARC’s 2026 Annual Conference, Appalachia Builds: Breaking New Ground for Economic Growth will be in Starkville, Mississippi, on June 2-4, 2026. More details will be available soon, including a call for conference programming proposals. Be sure to sign up for ARC’s weekly newsletter, In The…
Event


ARISE Program Evaluation Annual Report 2025

This report is the second in a series of annual evaluation reports for ARC’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE). ARISE is a multi-state initiative that aims to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through collaborative projects. Based on a combination of project-level inquiry with initiative-level analysis, key findings…
Report
Entire Region

ARC Hosts 100 Appalachian College and University Students at Community Research Symposium, Seeks 2026 Participants 

Students from 13 colleges and universities across seven Appalachian states shared capstone research at the 25th annual Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative symposium.  WASHINGTON, D.C., December 11, 2025—The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) hosted 100 students from 13 Appalachian colleges and universities for the 25th annual Appalachian Collegiate…
News


ARC Awards Over $12.6 Million to 80 Projects Designed to Strengthen Local Economies

Awards will help Appalachian organizations, community foundations and local governments obtain the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to address their local economic development needs.  WASHINGTON, D.C., December 4, 2025 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded over $12.6 million to 80 projects designed to strengthen local economies across 12…
News
Entire Region

ARC Announces Appalachian Leadership Institute Class of 2025-2026 

New class of ARC’s economic development training program comprises 40 fellows from across all 13 Appalachian states.  WASHINGTON, D.C., October 23, 2025—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced the 40 fellows selected for the 2025-2026 class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute (ALI), a training opportunity that…
News


ARC Accepting Applications for Summer Study Programs in Entrepreneurship and STEM for Region’s Middle and High School Students  

Applications are due December 3rd for Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy and Appalachian STEM Academy.   WASHINGTON, D.C., October 16, 2025 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) opened applications for two summer study opportunities: the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) and the Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge. Both programs, planned for summer…
News


Worker Displacement in Appalachia

This report examines worker displacement throughout the Appalachian Region, an issue last examined by ARC in 2005. Using data from the past five iterations of the Displaced Worker Supplement (DWS), which cover the years 2011-2021, the report examines how worker displacement varies based on a number of factors, including…
Report


The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey

This study examines state- and county-level data for the 13 Appalachian states from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey (ACS) and from U.S. Census Bureau population estimates on topics including population, age, housing occupancy and tenure, education, labor force, employment and unemployment, income and poverty, health insurance coverage, disability status, migration…
Report


Export-Oriented Industry Clusters, Trade and Transportation in Appalachia

This research report provides a comprehensive assessment of industry clusters and international trade in Appalachia. This report is an update of the 2004 report, Analysis of Global Competitiveness of Selected Industries and Clusters in the Appalachian Region and provides a current analysis of key export-oriented industries and industry clusters…
Report


ARC Seeks Nonprofit Applicants for Capacity Building Opportunity

Applications are due February 28 for ARC’s READY Nonprofits, which provides no-cost training and funding to help Appalachian nonprofits strengthen their operations, programming and fundraising. Washington, D.C., January 15, 2025 – Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) issued a notice of solicitations…
News


Access in Appalachia North Carolina DOT – Pilot Study

This report, commissioned by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, explores transportation accessibility within North Carolina. Building upon the foundational insights provided by ARC’s Access in Appalachia report of 2020, this report provided an opportunity to measure differences in accessibility across…
Report