The Appalachian Regional Commission announced on June 15 nearly $2.5 million in awards through READY LDDs, one of four tailored tracks under ARC’s capacity-building initiative, READY Appalachia.
The awards will help 26 Local Development Districts representing nine Appalachian states expand staffing and capacity to better support their communities in identifying, accessing and implementing federal funding through American Rescue Plan Act, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and other funding sources.
READY LDD award recipients include the Golden Triangle Planning and Development District. The GTPDD, which serves Webster and six other counties, was awarded $100,000.
The package builds on the nearly $500,000 in READY LDD funds ARC awarded to five Area Development Districts in Appalachian Kentucky in May, bringing the total award package to nearly $3 million for 31 LDDs across 10 Appalachian states. Supported in part by the Environmental Protection Agency, READY LDDs provides Appalachian LDDs with match-free funding to hire additional staff and contractors dedicated to helping local communities identify, access and manage the unprecedented levels of federal funding currently available for economic development projects.
“ARC remains committed to working with our partners in our Local Development Districts to build parity throughout all of Appalachia,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “This latest round of funding will augment the work these Local Development Districts are doing to help their communities utilize unprecedented amounts of federal funding to create an ecosystem of growth and collaboration across the entire region.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to revitalizing Appalachian communities to thrive from good-paying jobs, sustainable infrastructure and healthier communities,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “These places have long served as the engine of our nation and we are investing in them again for America’s future.”
ARC is allocating READY LDDs awards on a quarterly basis until all funds, totaling $4 million, are expended. The final application deadline was June 30.
Source: www.arc.gov
