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April 7, 2022 | Volume 7, Issue 14
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ARC’s new report, "Agriculture and Local Food Economies in the Appalachian Region," examines the impact and potential of Appalachia's food systems.
Based largely on U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture data, the report is filled with recommendations and success strategies that can help communities cultivate thriving food economies.
The research also includes overviews and case studies that will prove useful to Appalachian stakeholders interested in developing their own local food systems.
Learn more about opportunities to strengthen Appalachian food economies below.
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- Location: Talcott, West Virginia
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- Community Need: Creation of new economic opportunities in coal-impacted communities through a revitalized local food sector, including training opportunities for new farmers.
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- Solution: Growing Southern West Virginia’s local food systems through education, resource sharing, land access, and food production.
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- Grants Received: Nearly $1.5 million though an ARC POWER grant
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- Outcomes: The project will serve 152 business, create 125 new jobs, and leverage $1.4 million in private investment across 16 counties in central Appalachia.
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- Learn how Sprouting Farn's local food system work helped keep farmers and communities resilient during COVID-19 here.
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- Their sister organization, Turnrow Appalachian Farm Collective, is featured as a best practice case study in ARC's new research report. Check out both organizations for great examples of local food system growth.
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COMMUNITY
Partnerships in Action in Appalachia 🤝
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Outdoor Economy Conference
ARC joined partner Mountain BizWorks and other regional outdoor leaders ensuring a vibrant future for outdoor communities this week in North Carolina.
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West Virginia Entrepreneurship Conference
The Conference showcased entrepreneurs and entrepreneur serving organizations in West Virginia, sharing best practices, and inspiring collaborations.
It was part of this week's larger event series, Bridging Innovation Week. Watch the recording!
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ARC has issued a Request for Proposals for our POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative, helping to economically diversify coal-impacted communities.
This year, ARC is investing ~$25 million in projects building entrepreneurship, broadband, workforce development, tourism, and more.
For more insights on the application process and key points in the RFP, watch the recording of our Pre-Application Workshop here.
For entities that submitted LOIs, final applications are due by April 29, 2022.
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ARC's Research and Evaluation Team is working to to assess how people use our research, maps, and data!
We'd love to know more about what your needs are and how we can address them moving forward. What types of research do you find most valuable? How do you use our research in your own work?
The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, and will close on April 15.
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Opportunity Appalachia (OA) provides targeted support for downtown and rural development projects that revitalize local economies.
Pictured above, the Tygart Hotel in Elkins, West Virginia just received $16+ million in financing to restore the structure and serve as an anchor for economic growth.
An OA program expansion will assist 40 communities with a range of technical assistance, including market assessment, business plan development, and more.
The online application form found here must be submitted by April 15.
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