CITIZEN STAFF REPORT
WASHINGTON — Martin County is among the 90 local government entities selected to receive no-cost training and access to funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) READY Local Governments initiative. The participants were announced in a press release April 24.
READY Local Governments, one of four tailored tracks under ARC’s capacity-building initiative READY Appalachia, is designed to help participants leverage federal funding opportunities and create lasting, positive change in their communities, according to the release.
Over a nine-week period, participants will engage in virtual, cohort-based learning to grow their skills in project identification and planning, federal grant application development, compliance with federal grant regulations, and community engagement, among other areas.
“ARC’s local government partners have always been the backbone of our on-the-ground work throughout our Appalachian communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Through our READY Local Governments initiative, we are proud to assist these partners by enhancing their capabilities with training, resources and expanded support, because when our local communities thrive, the entire Appalachian Region succeeds.”
Nine other Kentucky government entities will join Martin County and government entities from 12 Appalachian states.
Participants primarily represent one or more of the following groups:
- Distressed areas and census tracts
- Communities prioritized by the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities
- Rural Partners Network Community Networks Communities
- Historically underserved and marginalized populations
Upon completing the training program, participants will be eligible to apply for up to $50,000 in funding (no match required) to implement internal capacity-building projects that will better serve their communities.
Since the launch of READY Appalachia in July 2022, ARC has provided training and funding to help the region’s Local Development Districts (LDDs) and nonprofit organizations build internal capacity to better serve their communities. Nearly $4 million has been awarded through READY LDDs and more than $1.6 million has been awarded through READY Nonprofits. Opportunities for philanthropic organizations in the Appalachian Region will be available through READY Foundations later this year.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
