Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region stretching along the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi, including western North Carolina.

Established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 26 million people into America's economic mainstream

ARC supports economic development activities in 31 North Carolina counties: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey counties.

Map depicting the 31 North Carolina counties with the Appalachian Regional Commission

Tab/Accordion Items

Each year ARC provides funding for projects throughout the Appalachian Region of North Carolina. Projects approved for ARC assistance must support one of the five general goals.

Goal 1: Building Appalachian Businesses

Goal 2: Building Appalachia's Workforce Ecosystem

Goal 3: Building Appalachia's Infrastructure

Goal 4: Building Regional Culture and Tourism 

Goal 5: Building Community Leaders and Capacity 

Eligible applicants are public entities (cities, towns, counties, regions, public service districts) and nonprofit organizations.

 

 

For additional information about the ARC program, please contact:

Olivia Collier - Director - Regional Development Commissions (ARC & SCRC) - (919)218-3623 or ocollier@commerce.nc.gov

Olivia is the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Program Manager for North Carolina, a federal program that provides economic development assistance to Appalachia based on the Governor’s priorities. She has held this position since January of 2007.  Olivia manages the day to day operations of the State’s ARC program. As program manager, her primary responsibilities are to ensure that the Governor’s priorities in Appalachia are being achieved and to ensure ARC resources are being deployed to assist in critical economic development challenges in the eligible ARC communities in Western North Carolina.  As the ARC Program Manager, she has witnessed the remarkable effect that the ARC program has had in the 31 eligible Western North Carolina counties.  During her tenure, the ARC program in North Carolina has awarded over $70 million to over 365 projects, leveraging an additional $115 million in other funding sources.  The approved projects have created and retained thousands of jobs, assisted families with early childhood education and access to affordable healthcare, and provided workforce skill training programs for numerous communities. Prior to her current role, Olivia worked with the Community Development Block Grant Program ensuring that all grantees comply with applicable federal requirements. She also served as the Public Information Officer for the Division of Community Assistance for two years. Olivia earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Master’s in Public Administration from East Carolina University. She has served on the New Generations Advisory Council and the North Carolina Institute of Medicine’s Rural Health Task Force.

David McRae - ARC and SCRC Assistant Program Manager - (984)365-0853 or david.mcrae@commerce.nc.gov

David is the ARC and SCRC Assistant Program Manager for North Carolina’s Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Program. His primary role is to assist North Carolina’s ARC Program leadership implement the state’s policies to fulfill the ARC mission to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia. Prior to his current role, David worked in local government for Harnett County Development Services and Sanford/Lee County Planning and Community Development. David earned his BS in Urban & Regional Planning from East Carolina University and his MA in Appalachian Studies, Sustainable Development from Appalachian State University.

Allison Smith - ARC Community Economic Development Planner, Western Region - (828)508-0107 or allison.smith@commerce.nc.gov

Allison Smith is the ARC Community Economic Development Planner for the Western Region. Prior to her current role, Allison served as an Economic Recovery Corps Fellow with the Western North Carolina MADE X MTNS Partnership. She also spent several years serving in community and economic development roles in West Virginia. Allison received her BA in English and Master of Public Administration from West Virginia University.

Phil Boggan - ARC Community Economic Development Planner, Northwest Region - (828)962-2805 or phil.boggan@commerce.nc.gov

Phil is the ARC Community Economic Development Planner for the Northwest Region. Prior to his current role, Phil served as the Director of Community Development for the City of Belmont, NC for 6 years. Prior to moving to North Carolina, Phil served 17 years with the State of Louisiana’s Office of Cultural Development as the Director of Louisiana Main Street, Director of Historic Preservation, Deputy Assistant Secretary/Deputy SHPO, and appointments under two Lieutenant Governors as Assistant Secretary and State Historic Preservation Officer, overseeing Arts, Archaeology, and Historic Preservation. Phil received undergraduate degrees in Drafting and Education from the University of West Alabama and Masters of Historic Preservation from Tulane University School of Architecture.

 

General ARC Informational Documents     

FY25 Area Development Grant Application Forms - Application window is currently closed.

 

2023 Application Workshop Presentation:

POWER Program

ARC Applicant and Grantee Resources

Application Template for ARC Construction Projects

Application Template for ARC Non-Construction Projects

Applicant Resources

Grantee Resources

ARC Competitive Programs

ARC allocates funding for coordinated grant initiatives or activities to address region-wide economic challenges or opportunities. This include competitive grant funding opportunities like the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative and the Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative.

Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER)

The POWER Initiative targets federal resources to expand economic opportunities for coal communities and supports efforts to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities by cultivating economic diversity, enhancing job training and re-employment opportunities, creating jobs in existing or new industries, and attracting new sources of investment.

Although North Carolina has no active coal mining operations within the state, the NC Department of Commerce commissioned an economic study which uncovered negative economic impacts to the state caused by job losses in coal-fired power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production. Our staff can assist prospective applicants appropriately address this portion of the grant application requirements. The report can be found here.

NC POWER Contact:

David McRae, ARC and SCRC Assistant Program Manager
North Carolina Department of Commerce
984-365-0853    mobile
david.mcrae@commerce.nc.gov

Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE)

The INSPIRE initiative addresses the substance use disorder (SUD) crisis across Appalachia by creating or expanding a recovery ecosystem that will lead to workforce entry or re-entry. Successful projects will support the post-treatment to employment continuum, which could include investments in healthcare networks that support SUD recovery professionals, recovery-focused job training programs, as well as initiatives designed to coordinate, or link, recovery services and training that support the recovery to work ecosystem, among others.

**Please refer to the ARC webpage for updates on availability of funding for Competitive Grant Programs

https://www.arc.gov/grants-and-opportunities/

ARC Check Ceremony

Established in 1990, the Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge is a residential, hands-on learning experience for Appalachia’s middle and high school students, as well as high school teachers in STEM-related fields. Hosted by Oak Ridge Associated Universities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, this program is a gateway to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the Appalachian Region. Many participants come from economically distressed counties and often gain their first exposure to applied science and STEM education through this experience.

Now accepting applications for the 2024 Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge!

Application Deadline: Application window is currently closed.

Please refer to the ARC website for information on future Appalachian STEM Academy activities. 

In partnership with Appalachian State University, EntreEd, and STEM West, ARC’s Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) prepares the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders and thinkers. Chosen via a competitive application process, 26 high school students from across the Appalachian Region participate in experiential learning designed to cultivate creativity and develop essential entrepreneurial skills. While learning, students concurrently develop and implement their own business ideas, refine and prototype those ideas, and eventually deliver a shark-tank-style pitch presentation for an audience of entrepreneurs.

Application Deadline: Application window is currently closed. 

Please refer to the ARC webpage for information on future Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy activities. 

The North Carolina ARC program collaborates with many federal and state agencies, non-profit organizations, and universities in the Appalachian region of the state. See below for links to partners' websites.

Federal Agencies

Non-profit Organizations

North Carolina Agencies

North Carolina Regional Councils

Public Universities in NC's Appalachian Region