POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 1 of 20

POWER Project Summaries by State 

Awarded October 2020

In October 2020, ARC invested $43.3 million into Appalachia's coal-impacted communities 

via the POWER Initiative. These 51 projects will create/retain over 3,300 jobs, attract over $110 

million in leveraged private investment and be matched by $81.5 million in additional public 

and private funds across the Region. 

Alabama (1) 

Project Title: Rapid Training Center Expansion 

Grantee: Bevill State Community College

Award Amount: $1,500,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Bevill State Community College in Jasper, AL, for the Rapid 

Training Center Expansion project. The project will provide a range of expanded and

accelerated workforce training programs that provide industry-recognized credentials for 

high-quality, in-demand jobs. It will renovate and expand an existing facility on the college’s 

Hamilton campus. The project will also expand the college’s training program offerings there 

to create a Rapid Training Center. The Center will be able to respond quickly to the changing 

workforce needs of local businesses. The project will also specifically support the expansion of 

welding and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) programs, for which there is 

considerable demand for trained workers in the area. The new Center will build a competitive 

workforce with employees who have skill sets that can also be used in advanced 

manufacturing and other in-demand jobs. The college will prepare and upskill 135 students 

and 40 workers/trainees for careers in HVAC and welding technology.

Kentucky (6) 

Project Title: Transitional Housing Facility 

Grantee: Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation (MCHC)

Award Amount: $1,500,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation (MCHC) in 

Whitesburg, KY for the Transitional Housing Facility project. The project includes the 

creation of 22 units of transitional housing for men who are in recovery from substance use 

disorders. Letcher County and its neighboring communities have been hard hit by both the 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 2 of 20

downturn in the coal economy and the substance use crisis. It is often impossible for people

who have completed treatment to find safe, sober housing or the services that would help 

them return to the community. The project will renovate a former high school to create 

efficiency apartments. MCHC staff will work with community partners to coordinate 

healthcare, education, and other social supports for residents of the new facility. Residents 

will also receive job-skills training through collaboration with local program partners,

including Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and the Eastern Kentucky 

Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP). The facility can serve 44 residents each 

year; approximately 28 are expected to reach at least two key milestones such as maintaining 

sobriety, finding a job, or furthering education. Seven jobs will be created for new staff 

members.

Project Title: Dataseam K–12 IT Apprentice Expansion

Grantee: Mountain Kentucky Dataseam Initiative, Inc.

Award Amount: $1,500,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Kentucky Dataseam Initiative, Inc., in Louisville, KY for the

Dataseam K–12 IT Apprentice Expansion project. Dataseam will work with school districts in 

20 Eastern Kentucky counties to deliver an information technology (IT) student 

apprenticeship program that includes paid IT jobs for students, hands-on coursework, onthe-job training, and vital technology infrastructure to communities for K–12 education. 

Dataseam will also help Morehead State University and the University of Louisville identify 

and recruit students into STEM education programs and STEM careers. Each student 

apprentice will earn two industry-standard IT certifications as part of earning a U.S. 

Department of Labor Information Technology Support Specialist Certificate. The program will 

operate under the supervision of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Cabinet. At least 60 

student apprentices will continue their education and/or obtain employment and all 25 

participating teachers/staff and 29 school districts will benefit.

Project Title: Foothills Independent Transitional Living Center (FIT)

Grantee: Foothills Academy, Inc.

Award Amount: $1,500,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Foothills Academy, Inc., in Albany, KY for the Foothills 

Independent Transitional Living Center (FIT). The project will construct a Center to deliver

transitional housing, training, case management, drug abuse prevention, and reemployment 

services to youth who age out of the child welfare system and have limited support networks 

to enter or reenter the workforce. The Center will be located adjacent to Somerset 

Community and Technical College with access to vocational and professional training, career 

counseling, and student supports. The FIT Living Center residents will be 16 young men and 

women, ages 18 to 21. Licensed therapists and case managers will provide key services. 

Partners include Somerset Community College, the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and 

Children, The Job Shop, and Lake Cumberland Area Development District. The project will 

give at-risk young adults the opportunity for upward mobility, building skills to further their 

education, maintain employment, and learn to live on their own with a healthy lifestyle and 

positive behaviors.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 3 of 20

Project Title: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Grantee: Saint Joseph London Foundation, Inc.

Award Amount: $990,510

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $990,510 to the Saint Joseph London Foundation, Inc., in London, KY to create a 

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Saint Joseph London Hospital. The new facility will 

have the capacity to serve 100 newborn babies each year and will enable the creation of 19 

full-time jobs. London and surrounding areas of Kentucky have seen troubling increases in 

the number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), reflecting the 

prevalence of drug use among mothers and the lack of effective substance abuse prevention 

and treatment services. Few facilities offer NICU capabilities for NAS babies or others born 

with severe needs, and the nearest Level II NICU services are in Lexington or Pikeville. By 

establishing a neonatal intensive care unit, Saint Joseph Hospital will offer local specialized 

care for babies, improving treatment while reducing burdens on parents and families. The 

project will renovate a major area of the existing hospital and acquire equipment and 

supplies needed to establish a six-bed NICU. 

Project Title: Gateway Regional Workforce Development Plan

Grantee: Gateway Area Development District 

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to Gateway Area Development District in Morehead, KY for the 

Gateway Regional Workforce Development Plan. This technical assistance project will create 

a plan that identifies the area’s primary economic sectors and potential emerging sectors 

that can provide sustainable economic growth and development. The plan will be used as a 

guide by key partners and community stakeholders to implement training and transition 

programs that will fill skillset gaps, aid the workforce in transitioning to other existing and 

emerging economic sectors, and expand the local workforce in a nine-county area.

Project Title: Tiny House Manufacturing

Grantee: Eastern Kentucky (EKY) Heritage Foundation, Inc.

Award Amount: $6,320

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $6,320 to the Eastern Kentucky (EKY) Heritage Foundation, Inc., in Whitesburg, 

KY for the Tiny House Manufacturing project. The Foundation will conduct a feasibility study 

to determine the viability of providing vocational training to persons in addiction recovery 

care and hiring them to build tiny houses. A strategic plan will be based on the findings in 

the feasibility study. The study will be conducted in collaboration with HOMES, Inc., Fahe, and 

Addiction Recovery. By using the construction and distribution of tiny houses to support the 

drug and substance abuse post-treatment to employment continuum, tiny house 

manufacturing could serve as a model for second chance employment in the Region.

 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 4 of 20

Maryland (1) 

Project Title: Feasibility Study for the Industrial Hemp Processing Industry

Grantee: Western Maryland Resource Conservation & Development Council

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to the Western Maryland Resource Conservation & Development 

Council in Hagerstown, MD for a Feasibility Study for the Industrial Hemp Processing 

Industry. The project will conduct a feasibility study to determine the steps, conditions, and 

resources necessary to establish an industrial hemp processing facility that serves six 

counties in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Industrial hemp shows promise for 

improving farm income, sustainability, community tax bases, and soil health in an area that 

has a strong agricultural history. As a result of the study, 100 businesses will be served and 10 

businesses improved.

New York (2) 

Project Title: Allegany County-Wide Broadband

Grantee: Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board 

Award Amount: $426,304

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $426,304 to the Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board 

in Salamanca, NY for the Allegany County-Wide Broadband project. The project will install 

fixed wireless broadband equipment at 12 telecom sites in the county, offering 50 Mbps 

internet speeds to 2,879 households, 170 businesses, and 39 communities. Due to Allegany 

County’s low population density and rugged terrain, the high cost to deploy traditional fiber 

broadband infrastructure has served as a barrier to expanding high-speed internet service in 

the area. As a result, households and businesses must rely on satellite internet, whose service 

is encumbered by low latency, unreliability, and data caps. The project will bring reliable 

high-speed wireless internet service to unserved and underserved areas of the county, 

enabling businesses to expand their supply chain and customer base and residents to take 

advantage of telemedicine and online learning opportunities.

Project Title: Cayuga Data Juice–Broadband Connectivity 

Grantee: Tompkins County Area Development 

Award Amount: $404,170

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $404,170 to Tompkins County Area Development in Ithaca, NY for the Cayuga 

Data Juice–Broadband Connectivity Project. This project will install a 17-mile fiber broadband 

trunk from Ithaca to the recently retired Cayuga coal plant in Lansing, NY. In partnership with 

Binghamton University and Beowulf Energy, this middle-mile broadband expansion will 

provide gigabit service to the proposed $100 million Cayuga Data Center, a high-capacity 

data center with a strong focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning. The fiber will

allow the data center to connect to the Southern Tier Network (STN), which has received 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 5 of 20

support through a previous POWER grant. The project will improve 2,134 businesses and 

serve 16,234 households within a two-mile radius of the proposed line. Matching funds are 

provided by Heorot Power Management and the grantee. 

North Carolina (4) 

Project Title: French Broad EMC Fiber Deployment

Grantee: French Broad Electric Membership Corporation (FBEMC)

Award Amount: $1,939,814

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,939,814 to the French Broad Electric Membership Corporation (FBEMC) in 

Marshall, North Carolina, for the French Broad EMC Fiber Deployment project. The project 

will deploy 120 miles of broadband fiber, which will serve 1,300 households, 44 businesses, 

and two communities in Unicoi County, Tennessee, and Madison County, North Carolina. The

project will deploy high-speed fiber broadband to areas in and around Rocky Fork State Park 

(a major asset in the region) that currently lack access to broadband internet. FBEMC will use

existing right-of-way to expand the infrastructure. The expansion of broadband in the area 

will create opportunities for economic development, telemedicine, and higher education 

attainment. Both counties were adversely affected when a decline in coal traffic led to the 

closure of a rail yard in Erwin, TN. 

Project Title: Creating a Textile and Furniture Circular 

Grantee: The Industrial Commons

Award Amount: $977,850

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $977,850 to The Industrial Commons in Morganton, NC for the Creating a 

Textile and Furniture Circular Economy project. The project will create a textile and furniture 

circular economy, marked by recycling, that supports small- to mid-size manufacturers in 

diversifying and expanding into new sustainable markets. The Industrial Commons, an 

interconnected web of employers, networks, and cooperatives, will expand operations of a 

waste aggregation site, initiate production of and demand for recycled yarn, create two new 

companies, and deliver innovative training programs. These training programs will include a 

focus on key business sectors such as business finance and entrepreneurship, and will offer 

skills training to those overcoming substance abuse issues. In addition to the creation of two 

new enterprises, the program will create 30 new jobs and improve five businesses and 360 

participants. The project will result in $1.175 million of leveraged private investment and will 

serve businesses in western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. The project is the 

outgrowth of a feasibility study funded under a prior POWER grant.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 6 of 20

Project Title: Healthy and Connected Workforce Initiative

Grantee: North Carolina Department of Information Technology (DIT)

Award Amount: $633,940

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $633,940 to the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (DIT) in 

Raleigh, NC for the Healthy and Connected Workforce Initiative. The project will enable DIT’s 

Broadband Infrastructure Office and Office of Rural Health to develop a comprehensive

program that will increase access to healthcare for vulnerable populations and 

disadvantaged groups while simultaneously increasing the economic viability and digital 

skills for residents seeking to re-enter the workforce and for those currently employed. 

Increasing access to quality healthcare through telehealth, broadband adoption, and 

increased digital literacy will both improve the health of residents and enhance their ability 

to actively participate in the local workforce. The project responds to findings in a year-long 

feasibility study completed by the project’s partners with support from a previous POWER 

award. The project will improve 124 organizations, 235 patients, 135 households, and 180 

participants throughout the grant’s life cycle.

Project Title: Collective Impact Strategies for Expanding Beginning Farmer Support and 

Training Strategic Plan

Grantee: Organic Growers School, Inc.

Award Amount: $34,487

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $34,487 to Organic Growers School, Inc., in Asheville, NC for the Collective 

Impact Strategies for Expanding Beginning Farmer Support and Training Strategic Plan. 

This project will support the creation of a plan to deploy entrepreneurship education 

programs and support systems for beginning farmers across Appalachia. The project 

represents a partnership between eight organizations across Appalachian Virginia, North 

Carolina, and Georgia. The strategic plan will identify potential partners, assets, and 

resources, and will provide a funding strategy to implement the strategic plan. The 

deployment of a multi-state coalition will create a strong network of beginning farmers and 

support organizations across the Appalachian agricultural and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Ohio (7) 

Project Title: Social Enterprise Ecosystem Impact (SEE Impact)

Grantee: Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

Award Amount: $1,498,637

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,498,637 to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio in Nelsonville, OH for Social 

Enterprise Ecosystem Impact (SEE Impact). Through technical assistance, outreach, and the 

formation of an investment fund, SEE Impact will grow the capital resources available to fund 

social enterprises in Appalachian Ohio and West Virginia. Social enterprises are an 

underserved entrepreneurial sector that comprises a significant portion of the Appalachian 

economy. This project will create additional capital opportunities for social enterprises and 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 7 of 20

improve social impact investor recruitment. Using the Social Return on Investment (SROI) 

methodology, which was developed and refined by Ohio University under prior POWER 

grants, SEE Impact will provide angel and venture capital investors quantitative measures of 

social impact in financial terms, facilitating “triple bottom line” investment opportunities in 

Appalachian social enterprises. The new investment fund will be capitalized at $1 million. As a 

result of this project, 120 businesses, 45 communities, and 80 participants will be served; 60 

businesses, 45 communities and 20 participants will be improved; 25 businesses and 55 jobs 

will be created; and $17 million of total private investment will be leveraged. Ohio University 

will be a key partner in the project. 

Project Title: Youngstown SMART2 Network

Grantee: Eastgate Council of Governments 

Award Amount: $1,450,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,450,000 to the Eastgate Council of Governments in Youngstown, OH for the 

Youngstown SMART2 Network. The project will install over 10 miles of fiber conduit in 

downtown Youngstown as the first step toward establishing a broadband network that can 

support businesses, healthcare, education, and residents working and learning remotely. The 

SMART Network is a collection of infrastructure improvements designed to revitalize the 

Youngstown central business district. It will help reverse decades of outward migration and 

disinvestment by providing the basic infrastructure needed to support and attract business. 

The project will capitalize on over $50 million in recent public and private investments. 

Matching funds are being provided through a BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, a surface transportation block grant, Youngstown State University, Mercy 

Health, and other public and private partners. The conduit is projected to serve 212 business 

locations and create 119 new jobs.

Project Title: Vinton & Meigs County Rural Broadband Initiative

Grantee: Vinton County Commissioners

Award Amount: $1,180,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,180,000 to the Vinton County Commissioners in McArthur, OH for the Vinton 

& Meigs County Rural Broadband Initiative. The project will place three communication 

towers in rural Vinton and Meigs counties. The towers will be used to provide wireless 

broadband service to unserved areas in the counties. Using a 70 percent penetration rate, it is 

estimated that 28 businesses and 280 households will have access to 25/3 broadband service.

COVID-19 has demonstrated the need for employees working from home to be able to access 

their work environment remotely. Students likewise need to be able to access virtual learning 

opportunities. In the more remote areas of Vinton and Meigs Counties targeted by this 

project, this access is currently not available. The project is an outgrowth of an earlier 

technical assistance POWER grant that demonstrated the feasibility of the project.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 8 of 20

Project Title: CDFI for Appalachian Ohio

Grantee: Appalachian Growth Capital (AGC)

Award Amount: $1,000,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,000,000 to Appalachian Growth Capital (AGC) in Nelsonville, OH for the CDFI 

for Appalachian Ohio project. The project will enable AGC, a community development 

financial institution (CDFI), to expand access to capital for small businesses in Appalachian 

Ohio through technical assistance to potential business borrowers and by increasing the 

capital available in AGC’s loan fund. AGC will assist businesses in improving their business 

plans, becoming bankable, finding other sources of funding, and solving critical issues facing 

them. It will leverage $750,000 of grant funds to attract $2.25 million in private investment in 

AGC’s loan fund. The project will strengthen entrepreneurship in Southeast Ohio, helping 

diversify an economy that has been heavily dependent on coal. The project will serve 300 

businesses, improve 150 businesses, create 180 jobs, retain 360 jobs, leverage $29,250,000 in

total private investment in the region (including borrower commitments), and create 15 new 

businesses. The project builds on a previous POWER grant that helped create AGC. 

Project Title: Building the Wood Bridge: A Forest, to Product, to Market Value Chain

Grantee: Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACENet)

Award Amount: $514,827

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $514,827 to the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACENet) in Athens, 

OH for Building the Wood Bridge: A Forest, to Product, to Market Value Chain. Taking 

advantage of the economic opportunities in Southeast Ohio offered by value-added, 

hardwood manufactured products, the project will accelerate small business startup and 

development in this sector by way of three broad activities. It will provide training and 

technical assistance to land owners, hardwood sector startups, established hardwood 

entrepreneurs, and students enrolled in accredited hardwood sector programs. It will 

encourage the formation of new partnerships for value chain coordination in the forest and 

hardwood products sectors. It will foster expanded investment in the infrastructure and 

equipment for the ACENet Nelsonville Business Center and Hocking College Maker Network 

to scale production and diversify product lines. Key partners include Rural Action, Hocking 

College, and the Central Appalachian Network. The project is expected to help create 25 new 

jobs, create 15 new businesses, and leverage $500,000 in new private investment. The project 

builds upon an earlier POWER investment targeted to Ohio’s hardwood forest products 

sector. 

Project Title: Noble County Broadband Technical Assistance

Grantee: Noble County Commissioners

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to the Noble County Commissioners in Caldwell, OH for the Noble 

County Broadband Technical Assistance project. The project will determine the feasibility of 

broadband expansion available to Noble County. According to the 2020 Connected Nation 

Ohio broadband study, Noble County is the least connected in Appalachian Ohio, with only 

58 percent of residents able to access broadband services of 25/3 Mbps. A blueprint for 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 9 of 20

expanding broadband access will help community leaders and stakeholders to acquire

additional funding and will determine strategies to provide more equitable internet access 

and connectivity. 

Project Title: Energy Storage Road Map for Appalachian Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West 

Virginia

Grantee: Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center

Award Amount: $49,950

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $49,950 to the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center in Warren, OH for the Energy 

Storage Road Map for Appalachian Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia project. 

Identifying energy storage assets in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, the project’s study 

will be an analysis and framework for leveraging the burgeoning energy storage cluster in 

the tri-state area with an emphasis on coal-impacted areas. The study will outline key assets 

in energy storage for grid generation, transportation, and consumer electronics. It will 

provide the groundwork needed to create entrepreneurial and business development 

strategies within the energy storage cluster. The study is specific to strengthening the supply 

chain for energy-tech, an industrial cluster, which enables the region to compete in the 

global economy.

Pennsylvania (13) 

Project Title: 4-County Central Pennsylvania Rural Broadband Deployment 

Implementation project

Grantee: Union County

Award Amount: $2,500,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $2,500,000 to Union County in Lewisburg, PA for the 4-County Central 

Pennsylvania Rural Broadband Deployment Implementation project. The project will bring 

high-speed broadband service to four locations in four underserved counties in Pennsylvania. 

One site will be served in each of the following counties: Clinton, Lycoming, Union, and 

Northumberland. It is expected that 20 businesses and 270 households will initially be served 

by the new infrastructure. An earlier broadband feasibility study, funded by a POWER grant, 

identified appropriate areas where broadband deployment could address access issues that 

have negatively affected business competitiveness. Matching funds are being provided by 

the Susquehanna Economic Development Association Council of Governments (SEDA-COG) 

Revolving Loan Fund and partnering internet service providers.

Project Title: Wayne County Recovery-to-Work Facility

Grantee: Wayne County

Award Amount: $1,500,000 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Wayne County in Honesdale, PA for the Wayne County Recoveryto-Work Facility, a multi-faceted effort that will improve the integration of services for people 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 10 of 20

with substance use disorders or other mental health conditions. Once completed, this cluster 

of services is expected to serve 1,720 patients each year; 64 jobs will be created for new 

employees. The project will construct a cluster of buildings adjacent to SCI Waymart, which 

will house drug and alcohol detox and rehabilitation services, behavioral health services, 

sober living recovery housing, and administrative space. Services will be provided by licensed 

agencies under contract with the county. Clients will also have access to skills training and 

job placement programs that are tailored for people in recovery, with active engagement 

from local employers and entrepreneurs. This development of a local recovery ecosystem is 

expected to improve outcomes for patients and the community. Wayne County will provide 

matching funds for the project. 

Project Title: Erie to Pittsburgh Trail–PAWilds Loop Trail Construction

Grantee: Crawford County

Award Amount: $1,500,000 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Crawford County in Meadville, PA for the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail–

PAWilds Loop Trail Construction project—Phase I. The project will construct 18.2 miles of key 

trail segments in the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail and the PA Wilds Loop trail network. It will 

attract more than 50,000 day and overnight visitors to the region annually, generating $1.4 

million in direct visitor spending and support the creation of 15 new jobs. The Erie to 

Pittsburgh Trail (EPT) is a planned 270-mile network of trails that will connect the Erie 

waterfront to Point State Park in Pittsburgh. The Pennsylvania Wilds Loop is a 220-mile 

network of trails spanning the Pennsylvania Wilds region. A study to prioritize the 

uncompleted sections of each trail system was released in 2019. The project will complete 

segments with maximum economic impact to the communities through which they pass. 

Long-distance trails built along former railroad corridors can bring stable economic benefits

to communities that previously relied on a diminishing extractive economy. State sources will 

provide $1,753,000 and local sources will provide $130,050.

Project Title: Enhancing the Tri-State Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Through the Innovation 

Beehive Network

Grantee: Pennsylvania State University

Award Amount: $1,499,225

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,499,225 to Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA for Enhancing 

the Tri-State Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Through the Innovation Beehive Network. The 

Innovation Beehive Network—a partnership between Penn State’s Behrend campus in Erie, 

Edinboro University, Gannon University, and Mercyhurst University—will leverage the 

institutional strengths of its members to provide no-cost services to businesses and 

entrepreneurs using faculty, students, and research capabilities to enhance economic 

growth across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the southern tier of New York. The Beehive seeks to 

create a vibrant entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem, increasing new start-up and scale-up 

businesses and improving economic outcomes by providing access to university resources. 

The project will expand the Beehive’s service area, spur new successful businesses, protect 

and secure current ones, and lower the barriers to success for entrepreneurs and 

intrapreneurs. As a result of this project, 90 businesses, 18 communities, 100 participants, and 

100 students will be served; 70 businesses, 15 communities, 90 participants, and 90 students 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 11 of 20

will be improved; 15 businesses and 20 jobs will be created; and $500,000 in private 

investment will be leveraged.

Project Title: Startup Alleghenies Ecosystem

Grantee: JARI Growth Fund, Inc.

Award Amount: $1,281,900

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,281,900 to JARI Growth Fund, Inc., in Johnstown, PA for the Startup 

Alleghenies Ecosystem project. Through a combination of technical assistance to small 

businesses and leveraged investment capital, the project will strengthen a vibrant 

entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Southern Alleghenies region of Pennsylvania. The project 

will create the Startup Alleghenies Microloan Fund, a flexible, gap financing resource for 

entrepreneurial enterprises. It will provide other key aspects of an entrepreneurial ecosystem 

by offering business technical assistance through business coaches and providing access to 

entrepreneurial spaces such as “makerspaces,” co-working spaces, and commercial kitchen 

incubators. Other components include networking and highlighting the robust set of 

business support services across the region. The project will provide $1 million in capital for 

the Microloan Fund, attracting $3 million in private capital. The project will serve 540 

businesses, improve 170 businesses, create 300 jobs, and create 25 new businesses. The 

project builds on the work of the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development 

Commission in developing and launching Start-Up Alleghenies, which has been supported 

by two previous POWER grants. 

Project Title: Reboot Workforce Program: Recovery at Work in Central Pennsylvania

Grantee: Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation

Award Amount: $1,018,500

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,018,500 to the Central Pennsylvania Workforce Development Corporation

(CPWDC) in Lewisburg, PA for the Reboot Workforce Program: Recovery at Work in Central 

Pennsylvania. The CPWDC, in partnership with Geisinger Health and Susquehanna 

Economic Development Association Council of Governments (SEDA-COG), will build a 

recovery ecosystem and a ready workforce by increasing labor participation rates of 

individuals who have opted out of the workforce because of their addiction to opioids. 

CPWDC will also provide solutions to address the opioid crisis in Central Pennsylvania by 

expanding access to treatment services using telemedicine, providing workforce preparation 

and training services to individuals in recovery, and connecting individuals with businesses 

that are “recovery friendly.” SEDA-COG and the PA CareerLink Business Service Teams will 

identify employers that are already recovery-friendly and assist other businesses to become 

recovery-friendly to increase their pool of workforce talent. The project will improve 250 

patients, 30 businesses, and 120 worker/trainees, as well as create three new telemedicine 

sites for persons in recovery.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 12 of 20

Project Title: Building a Peer Support Workforce in Pennsylvania

Grantee: Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition

Award Amount: $1,000,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,000,000 to the Pennsylvania Peer Support Coalition in Lancaster, PA for the 

Building a Peer Support Workforce in Pennsylvania project. The Pennsylvania Peer Support 

Coalition will train and develop a sustainable, ready workforce of new Certified Peer 

Specialists and create regional Recovery Ecosystem Coalitions to support them in serving 

individuals in recovery from substance abuse. Additional existing Certified Peer Specialists 

will participate in the newly created Coalitions to add value to the current workforce of 

specialists across Appalachian Pennsylvania. The project will assist in linking the new 

Certified Peer Specialists to potential employers in their area. At least 200 new Certified Peer 

Specialists will obtain employment and 500 specialists currently working in the field will 

enhance their positions. An estimated 40 businesses will be improved through new hires and 

10 Recovery Ecosystem Coalitions will be created. Partners include the Pennsylvania Mental 

Health Consumers Association, the Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery, the 

Pennsylvania Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Mental Health Planning 

Council, and Clarion University. 

Project Title: REAL Jobs in Energy & Manufacturing

Grantee: Catalyst Connection 

Award Amount: $994,883 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $994,883 to Catalyst Connection in Pittsburgh, PA, for the REAL Jobs in Energy 

& Manufacturing project. The project is expected to help create 272 new jobs and leverage $5 

million in new private investment. A previous POWER grantee, Catalyst Connection serves as 

the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Center for southwestern Pennsylvania. 

Focusing on the energy and manufacturing sectors, Catalyst Connection will undertake and 

coordinate new workforce development activities across a 12-county region with established 

partner networks. Components of the program are organized into four parts: 1) recruitment 

and provision of pre-employment training; 2) placement of manufacturing workers with 

engaged and supported employers; 3) training incumbent workers through on-the-job and 

apprenticeship programs; and 4) provision of real-time data on employment demand and 

project analysis. Matching funds are provided by several public and private sector entities, 

including Chevron Corporation, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the Pennsylvania 

Department of Community and Economic Development, and the Claude Worthington 

Benedum Foundation.

Project Title: Road to Recovery and Reemployment

Grantee: Allegheny Health Network

Award Amount: $946,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $946,000 to Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, PA for the Road to 

Recovery and Reemployment project. Allegheny Health Network has partnered with the 

Pennsylvania Orthopedic Society, Rothman Institute Foundation for Opioid Research and 

Education, and pain prescribers across Appalachian Pennsylvania to implement a series of 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 13 of 20

opioid-based continuing medical education (CME) events. These events include opioidfocused symposia for scientists, providers, and guest lecturers; educational events for 

students in orthopedic residency; and webinars for health providers, students, residents, 

extenders, and staff. The project will focus particularly on those counties with the highest 

rates of opioid overdose (Fayette, Westmoreland, and Armstrong). The project is expected to 

serve 40 rural practices, improve treatment for 320 patients, and improve 120 medical 

providers. Additional funding for the project is being provided by the Pennsylvania 

Orthopedic Society. 

Project Title: Recovery to Reemployment (Remote Monitoring)

Grantee: Fayette County

Award Amount: $917,368 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $917,368 to Fayette County in Uniontown, PA for the Recovery to 

Reemployment (Remote Monitoring) project. Fayette County will create a robust 

telemedicine program to address substance use disorder, COVID-19, and chronic conditions 

facing communities in four coal-impacted counties in Southwest Pennsylvania (Cambria, 

Fayette, Greene, and Washington). The program will increase access and treatment of 

substance use disorders using a chronic care management approach combined with remote 

patient monitoring, where the patient is monitored 24 hours a day via the Virtual Care 

Center. The goal, by connecting patients to treatment services, is a reduction in fatal 

overdose deaths, and the return of patients to a lifestyle of work and family support, while 

remaining compliant with the drug-court treatment programs. The program leverages 

improved patient outcomes by increasing medication adherence and improving access to 

treatment centers, while resulting in savings to the county justice and recovery systems. It 

will improve five organizations, 200 patients, and 320 workers/trainees, as well as create five

new telecom sites and five jobs.

Project Title: Critical Infrastructure Workforce Academy (CIWA) Phase I 

Grantee: Armstrong County

Award Amount: $750,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $750,000 to Armstrong County in Kittanning, PA for the Critical Infrastructure 

Workforce Academy (CIWA) Phase I project. The project will construct a facility to house 

“critical infrastructure” training programs. The CIWA is a regional training program conceived

through a strategic planning effort after participation in the National Association of Counties

(NACO) Innovation Challenge for Coal-Reliant Communities and a subsequent feasibility 

study funded through a prior POWER grant. The CIWA facility will utilize virtual/augmented 

reality technology alongside traditional classroom instruction to train high school, technical 

school, and community college graduates. The proposed facility in Northpointe will enable 

the overarching CIWA project to expand the expected number of classes and programs. 

Ultimately, this project will serve 1,300 trainees and 60 new classes. The facility will be part of 

a 20-acre Critical Infrastructure Workforce Academy simulation city project.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 14 of 20

Project Title: Pennsylvania LDDAP Statewide Broadband Initiative

Grantee: North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission

Award Amount: $600,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $600,000 to the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and 

Development Commission in Ridgway, PA for the Pennsylvania LDDAP Statewide 

Broadband Initiative. The project, in partnership with Pennsylvania’s other six local 

development districts (LDDs) in the Appalachian Region, will help communities assess 

strategies and associated costs for deploying broadband in unserved areas. It will also 

facilitate broadband deployment activities, including the installation of fixed wireless 

broadband equipment and the partnership with existing internet providers to expand 

broadband service into target areas. The project will serve 425 businesses, 1,700 households, 

and 13 communities. Additional funding is being provided by the U.S. Economic 

Development Administration and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Project Title: Penn Highlands Healthcare Behavioral Health Hospital

Grantee: City of DuBois

Award Amount: $500,000 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $500,000 to the City of DuBois in DuBois, PA for the Penn Highlands 

Healthcare Behavioral Health Hospital project. The project will construct a stand-alone

behavioral health hospital as part of the eight-building construction/renovation project 

started by Penn Highlands Healthcare. This project will serve patients suffering from drug 

and alcohol addiction and behavioral health issues, and/or use medication-assisted 

treatment (MAT). The facility will include the addition of a psychiatric urgent care center and 

acute psychiatric care for children and adolescents, along with an extended sub-acute unit 

for at-risk children and adolescents. The project will help expand the adult inpatient unit by 

14 beds. The new behavioral health facility is expected to serve 3,200 patients a year and 

create 163 jobs. Additional funding for the project is provided by Pennsylvania’s

Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program. 

Tennessee (2) 

Project Title: Northern Unicoi County Broadband

Grantee: Erwin Utilities

Award Amount: $400,333

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $400,333 to Erwin Utilities in Erwin, TN for the Northern Unicoi County 

Broadband project. This broadband expansion project will provide gigabit service to Unicoi 

County residents and businesses that are not currently served by a broadband or cable 

provider. Over 17 miles of fiber will be placed on Erwin Utilities’ existing power poles. 

Broadband expansion will enable the northern area of Unicoi County to offset the county’s 

topographical and geographical hurdles to economic development, resulting in the creation 

of new businesses, increased access to teleworking opportunities, and greater opportunities 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 15 of 20

for remote learning. After the fiber installation, this project will serve eight businesses and 95 

residents in the short term, with growth expected in the next three years. Unicoi County has 

been adversely affected by the closure of a major rail yard as a result of the decline in coal 

shipments.

Project Title: Northeast Tennessee Regional Outdoor Development Strategic Plan

Grantee: Northeast Tennessee Regional Foundation for Economic Development, Innovation,

and Outdoor Recreation (NETRF) 

Award Amount: $44,450

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $44,450 to Northeast Tennessee Regional Foundation for Economic 

Development, Innovation, and Outdoor Recreation (NETRF) in Johnson City, TN for the 

Northeast Tennessee Regional Outdoor Development Strategic Plan. The strategic plan will 

support Phase II of NETRF’s regional Outdoor Master Plan. NETRF will gather data on local 

asset utilization from tourism and outdoor recreation and will recommend best practices for 

outdoor branding. The Outdoor Master Plan will ultimately encourage environmental 

stewardship of public land and prioritize investment in the natural assets in the Northeast 

Tennessee region.

Virginia (6) 

Project Title: Site Improvements at Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre (CCBC)

Grantee: Henry County

Award Amount: $1,500,000 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,500,000 to Henry County in Collinsville, VA for the Site Improvements at 

Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre (CCBC) project. This project will complete a steel 

natural gas pipeline from the Patriot Line to the Commonwealth Crossing Business Centre 

(CCBC) and associated facilities. Lack of a direct natural gas line has been cited as a 

significant recruitment and job-creation weakness for the CCBC. The CCBC is a key 

component of the county’s transition from a mineral-extraction-based economy to a 

manufacturing economy that seeks to incorporate aviation, automotive, food processing, and 

advanced film production as sectors in a more diversified local economy. By installing a 

pipeline that can deliver a maximum natural gas volume of four million standard cubic feet 

per hour, this infrastructure improvement will expand the area’s opportunities for large, 

transformational projects. The project will serve a facility that has already created over 200 

jobs and will enable more companies to move jobs into CBCC and the surrounding area. Key 

partners include the Harvest Foundation and Southwest Virginia Gas Company.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 16 of 20

Project Title: Pathways to a Strong and Healthy Region

Grantee: New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Area Consortium Board

Award Amount: $1,494,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,494,000 to the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Area 

Consortium Board in Radford, VA for the Pathways to a Strong and Healthy Region project. 

This project will create a recovery-ready region by collectively tackling the full range of the 

substance abuse disorder (SUD) problem. Project partners will address the lack of 

coordination between the economic and workforce development sectors and the healthcare 

and human service sectors in addressing SUD as an economic development issue. This 

coordination will help the region create continuity among support services, sustain longterm recovery for individuals, and scale efforts for greater impact on the individual/family, 

business/industry, and the region. The result will be a strong regional recovery ecosystem. 

The project will serve 350 workers in recovery and 30 workers in the healthcare/human 

services sector as well as 150 businesses. Additional support is being provided by the grantee, 

Eagles Nest Regeneration, and Ballad Health. 

Project Title: Southwest Virginia Medication-Assisted Treatment Services

Grantee: St. Mary’s Health Wagon (The Health Wagon)

Award Amount: $793,500 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

$793,500 grant to St. Mary’s Health Wagon (The Health Wagon), in Wise, VA for the 

Southwest Virginia Medication-Assisted Treatment Services project. The project will establish 

a substance use treatment program that complements the region’s existing services. 

Southwest Virginia has been hit hard by the downturn in the coal economy and the 

concurrent epidemic of substance use disorder. Community organizations have been leaders 

in identifying and implementing services that prevent and treat substance use issues, and 

they seek to offer an alternative to existing medication-assisted treatment services. The 

proposed service will be based at the Appalachian Center for Healthcare Excellence, a family 

practice clinic in Coeburn, VA. The Southwest Virginia Medication-Assisted Treatment 

Services Project is expected to create four jobs and serve 75 patients in its first year of 

operation. In the future, the program will have the capacity to serve approximately 150 

patients each year.

Project Title: Tri-State Broadband Infrastructure Feasibility Study

Grantee: LENOWISCO Planning District Commission

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to LENOWISCO Planning District Commission in Duffield, VA, for the 

Tri-State Broadband Infrastructure Feasibility Study. The project will create a plan to 

establish a fiber-optic network in a 13-county region of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. 

The LENOWISCO Planning District Commission (which comprises the Virginia counties of 

Lee, Wise, and Scott and the City of Norton) will convene stakeholders and determine the

region’s critical Network Access Points to connect households and businesses to other 

nearby regional networks. Currently, only 64 percent of households in this service area have 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 17 of 20

access to high-speed internet. After establishing a fiber-optic network, the multi-county 

region will be marketed for data center development.

Project Title: Virginia Rural Leaders Institute (VRLI)

Grantee: Center for Rural Virginia

Award Amount: $39,755

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $39,755 to the Center for Rural Virginia in Richmond, VA for the Virginia Rural 

Leaders Institute (VRLI). The project will fill a gap in civic leadership development for rural 

communities in Virginia. VRLI will deliver a robust curriculum involving leadership, 

community, and economic development competencies to community leaders throughout 

Southwestern Virginia. Community leaders will be convened over a series of four sessions 

throughout the region. The first VRLI will graduate 30 leaders and create a state-wide rural 

network to strengthen rural development at the local level.

Project Title: New River Water Trail Expansion Strategic Plan

Grantee: New River Valley Regional Commission

Award Amount: $32,940

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $32,940 to New River Valley Regional Commission in Fairlawn, VA for the New 

River Water Trail Expansion Strategic Plan. The project will develop a plan to cultivate 

natural assets around the New River to increase talent attraction, tourism, and job growth. 

The strategic plan will formulate a strategy to improve river accessibility and trail signage, 

provide a market analysis of user groups and potential partners, and create a marketing 

strategy for the water trail. The strategic plan will develop an expansion model that can be 

applied throughout Virginia and its surrounding Appalachian states.

West Virginia (7) 

Project Title: Thundercloud Gigabit City Deployment

Grantee: Thundercloud, Inc.

Award Amount: $2,353,788

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $2,353,788 to Thundercloud, Inc., in Huntington, WV for the Thundercloud 

Gigabit City Deployment project. The project will support approximately 25 miles of fiber 

construction to create a fiber loop that will connect Barboursville to downtown Huntington 

and deploy a robust last-mile underground fiber ring linking businesses and anchor 

institutions to gigabit speed infrastructure. Once fully operational, it is estimated 500 

businesses will utilize the fiber ring. It will be part of a larger planned broadband network in 

the nine-county Advantage Valley region. The loop will also connect to the Thundercloud 

Data Center, which is planned for a federally designated Opportunity Zone and is benefitting 

from a prior POWER grant to Opportunity Appalachia. The center will provide state-of-theart, secure, dual-redundant, high-capacity data storage and cloud computing capacity for 

the greater Huntington region. Large anchor institutions are likely candidates to use the data 
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 18 of 20

center services. The center would also connect to the established state-of-the-art data center 

in South Charleston. Thundercloud will boost telehealth and telelearning progress, drive new 

economic development, serve downtown and technology park businesses seeking better 

broadband access, and upgrade four key Huntington municipal and public safety facilities.

Project Title: Creating Communities of Healings by Cultivating Businesses to Address the 

Opioid Crisis

Grantee: Region 4 Planning and Development Council

Award Amount: $1,499,894

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,499,894 to the Region 4 Planning and Development Council in Summersville, 

WV for Creating Communities of Healings by Cultivating Businesses to Address the Opioid 

Crisis. The Region 4 Planning and Development Council—in partnership with Seed Sower,

Inc., Fruits of Labor, Wright Venture Services, the WV Hive, and Workforce WV Region 1—will 

create a program that strengthens the recovery-to-work ecosystem in southern West 

Virginia through the growth of social entrepreneurship in the food sector. This work will 

encourage businesses to meet the needs of communities coping with the opioid crisis by 

creating a “social impact hub” that offers cohort-based training for food-based businesses 

and entrepreneurs seeking to invest in the social mission of recovery. The cultivation of 

businesses and entrepreneurs to address the opioid crisis in Appalachia is a key component 

in improving the response to substance use disorder. The project takes advantage of 

entrepreneurship resources supported by a prior POWER grant to the WV Hive. As a result of 

the project, 75 businesses, 30 workers/trainees, and 150 participants will be served; 30 

businesses, 20 workers/trainees, and 100 participants will be improved; nine jobs will be 

created; and $500,000 in private investment will be leveraged.

Project Title: Tri-State Aviation Maintenance Technician Start-Up

Grantee: Region II Development Council 

Award Amount: $1,360,852

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $1,360,852 to the Region II Development Council in Huntington, WV for the TriState Aviation Maintenance Technician Start-Up. The project will fill the growing need for 

aviation maintenance technicians to support the burgeoning aerospace industry in West 

Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky, helping diversify the regional economy. Marshall University will

offer a new Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Program that will prepare individuals for 

aviation maintenance careers. Students will earn an Applied Associate of Science degree to 

be jointly awarded by Marshall University and Mountwest Community and Technical College. 

This dual degree option will be the first of its kind in Appalachia. Within three years of the 

project’s completion, at least 105 students and 43 workers/trainees will have obtained new

jobs or enhanced their current employment or still be enrolled in the program. And at least 

95 businesses will have been improved by hiring these students and workers/trainees. Other 

major funding is being provided by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 19 of 20

Project Title: Strengthening Substance Abuse Recovery Ecosystems to Provide a Healthy 

and Ready Workforce

Grantee: Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center (SHCMHC)

Award Amount: $480,000 

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $480,000 to Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center (SHCMHC) 

in Princeton, West Virginia, for the Strengthening Substance Abuse Recovery Ecosystems to 

Provide a Healthy and Ready Workforce project. This project will implement a peer 

navigator/recovery coach (PN/RC) model that provides outreach and linkage to integrated 

care for substance use disorder (SUD), mental health, and drug-use-related chronic 

infections. SHCMHC, which serves McDowell, Wyoming, and Mercer counties, will employ 

PN/RCs to reach persons with SUD through existing programs that respond to overdoses, 

provide syringe services, and via self-referral. This model will build a strong local recovery 

ecosystem by linking existing medical treatment with job training and assistance for 

entering the workforce. Through the project, 150 individuals with SUD will complete 

treatment, and 60 former individuals with substance use disorder will be gainfully employed. 

Project Title: Creating a Sustainable Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program: A Key 

Requirement for Achieving Economic Development through Recreational Tourism

Grantee: Appalachian Forest Heritage Area, Inc.

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to Appalachian Forest Heritage Area, Inc., in Elkins, WV for Creating a 

Sustainable Volunteer Trail Maintenance Program: A Key Requirement for Achieving 

Economic Development through Recreational Tourism. The project will develop a business 

plan for a volunteer trail maintenance center and program. Elements of the business plan 

will include community leadership initiatives, local partnerships, relationships with 

businesses that benefit from recreational tourism, growing a funding base, delivering trail 

maintenance training, a volunteer management system, and a communications/marketing 

plan for the program and center. These elements will provide tourist trail maintenance at low 

cost while connecting each community to its surrounding natural assets, thereby 

strengthening the area’s recreation-based businesses. Matching funds are provided by the 

Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. 

Project Title: Wheeling Heritage Gateway Initiative

Grantee: Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation (WNHAC) 

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation (WNHAC) in 

Wheeling, WV, for the Wheeling Heritage Gateway Initiative. The project will conduct a

feasibility study, including the creation of an economic and technical feasibility strategy, to 

transform four key sites along Wheeling’s Main Street into a unified “heritage gateway” for 

the downtown core. The centerpiece of the heritage gateway will be a new Wheeling 

Heritage Center that includes a multiuse visitors center, heritage museum, and events

venue. The “heritage gateway” will reinvigorate the downtown, support regional job creation, 

and attract new visitors and businesses.
POWER Project Summaries by State, Awarded October 2020 Page 20 of 20

Project Title: Aero-Ready in Southern WV

Grantee: New River Gorge Regional Development Authority

Award Amount: $50,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $50,000 to the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority in Beckley, 

WV, for Aero-Ready in Southern WV. This project will craft a strategic plan, including cost 

analysis, to create and implement a workforce training and education curriculum to support 

the aerospace industry in southern West Virginia. It will identify gaps in the existing 

aerospace programming currently serving West Virginia, work with the Federal Aviation 

Administration, and present an implementation plan for a workforce training and degree 

curriculum between New River Community and Technical College and WVU Tech.

Special Regional Projects (2) 

Project Title: ARC/National Institutes of Health Interagency Agreement: Year 4

Grantee: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 

Award Amount: $750,000

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $750,000 to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National 

Institutes of Health (NIH) for continued collaborative research with other federal partners, 

including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), on effective interventions for opioid 

use disorders and related disease in rural Appalachian coal communities. This is the fourth 

year of support for this initiative. New funding will allow the University of Kentucky to 

continue implementing clinical programs focused on formerly incarcerated people who use 

drugs. The ultimate result of this collective research will be the establishment of evidencebased practices that effectively address Appalachia’s recovery ecosystem.

Project Title: Creating a Regional Network of Collegiate Recovery Programs

Feasibility Study

Grantee: Appalachian College Association 

Award Amount: $40,713

Announcement Date: October, 2020

ARC grant of $40,713 to the Appalachian College Association in Bristol, TN, for the Creating a 

Regional Network of Collegiate Recovery Programs Feasibility Study. The study will create a 

plan to implement Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRP) on five college campuses in 

Appalachia: Bethany College and University of Charleston in West Virginia; Union College and 

University of Pikeville in Kentucky; and Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee. Planning 

work will engage a network of teams from each college to develop an implementation 

model for integrating recovery, degree attainment, and job placement programs into a 

cohesive CRP for individuals with substance use disorders. The proposed CRPs will enhance 

the recovery ecosystem in five Appalachian communities, increasing the likelihood that

individuals in recovery will graduate from college and enhance their labor force participation.