Virginia

A bridge crosses a river along the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile bicycling, jogging, and walking trail along an old railroad line from Abingdon through Damascus to White Top Mountain, in Abingdon, Virginia. photo cred: Jason Barnette

Our Work In Virginia

In partnership with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, ARC is supporting 24 projects in Virginia totaling nearly $8 million in fiscal year 2019. These investments have been matched by nearly $7 million and are attracting an additional $3.8 million in leveraged private investments in Virginia. They are also creating or retaining over 200 jobs, training or educating over 170 students and workers, and benefiting the nearly 750,000 residents in Virginia’s 25 Appalachian counties.

State Partners

Governor:
Honorable Ralph Northam

Governor’s ARC Representative:
Erik Johnston, Director
email: erik.johnston@dhcd.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Main Street Center
600 East Main Street, Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23219

ARC State Program Manager:
Tamarah Holmes, ARC Program Manager
email: tamarah.holmes@dhcd.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development
Main Street Center
600 East Main Street, Suite 300
Richmond, VA 23219
804.371.7056

For more information on grants in Virginia, contact your state partners directly.
Email Your State Program Manager

Investment Priorities

In Fiscal Year 2019, ARC and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development partnered on the following investments and projects.

Critical Infrastructure
$2.5M
invested in Virginia’s critical infrastructure development, including broadband, transportation, and water/wastewater systems
Ready Workforce
$2.1M
invested to increase the education, knowledge, skills, and health of Virginia’s Appalachian residents to work and succeed
Economic Opportunity Icon Card
Economic Opportunities
$1.7M
invested in entrepreneurial strategies to strengthen the economy in Appalachian Virginia
Additional Priorities
$1.4M
invested to cultivate leadership and community capacity and leverage natural and cultural assets in Appalachian Virginia

Investments in Action

Old Prices Fork Revitalization Project

With ARC support, an unused elementary school building in the town of Prices Fork was renovated into a shared-use commercial incubator kitchen offering production space and business support services to local food entrepreneurs.
Read More
Woman in magenta apron prepares food

State Plans and Strategies

ARC’s current strategic plan is a blueprint for investments at the Regional level. Each of Appalachia’s 13 states develops a companion four-year plan and annual strategy statement outlining its funding priorities for ARC projects.

Fiscal Year 2021

County Economic Status

Every year, ARC applies an index-based classification system to compare each county in the Region with national averages to understand how counties are performing.

Download the Map

Counties in Appalachia

(25 out of 133 counties): Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe

The following independent cities in Virginia are also within the Appalachian Region: Bristol, Buena Vista, Covington, Galax, Lexington, Martinsville, Norton, and Radford

Local Development Districts

Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission
Cumberland Plateau Planning District Commission
LENOWISCO Planning District Commission
Mount Rogers Planning District Commission
New River Valley Planning District Commission
Roanoke Valley–Alleghany Regional Commission
West Piedmont Planning District Commission

LDD County and Contact Information

State Links

Virginia State Government Website
Virginia State Tourism Website