Federal funding is available to help Appalachian coal communities hit hard by layoffs as they work to diversify their economies, create new jobs and retrain workers.
Part of this funding is made possible through the POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative Implementation Grants.
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Funding Available
Grants generally ranges from $500,000 to
$1.5 million.
Deadline
Rolling
Eligibility
Applicants must serve and benefit a portion of the Appalachian Region. In our territory that includes certain counties in Maryland, Virginia and all of the state of West Virginia. This list includes:
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Maryland: Allegany, Garrett, and Washington
Virginia: Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe
The following independent cities in Virginia are also within the Appalachian Region: Bristol, Buena Vista, Covington, Galax, Lexington, Martinsville, Norton, and Radford.
West Virginia: All counties: Barbour, Berkeley, Boone, Braxton, Brooke, Cabell, Calhoun, Clay, Doddridge, Fayette, Gilmer, Grant, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Hancock, Hardy, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Marshall, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, Monroe, Morgan, Nicholas, Ohio, Pendleton, Pleasants, Pocahontas, Preston, Putnam, Raleigh, Randolph, Ritchie, Roane, Summers, Taylor, Tucker, Tyler, Upshur, Wayne, Webster, Wetzel, Wirt, Wood, and Wyoming
Application Process
Interested communities must complete a pre-application through the ARC-EDA POWER Portal. Pre-applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Grant Objectives
The primary objectives of POWER grants are to invest in economic and workforce development projects and activities that will produce any one or any combination of the following outcomes:
- Economic Diversification – Diversify the commercial and industrial bases of local and regional economies;
- Job Creation – Create jobs in new and/or existing industries;
- Capital Investment – Attract new sources of job-creating investment (both public and private); and
- Workforce Development and Reemployment Opportunities – Provide a range of workforce services and skills training, including paid work-based learning opportunities, resulting in industry-recognized credentials for high-quality, in-demand jobs
That last bullet especially resonates with many of our customers in the area. Specific to workforce development and reemployment opportunities, POWER Initiative Implementation Grant applications must meet a certain set of criteria.
- Economic and Workforce Development Integration: “Competitive applications will clearly demonstrate how the project is designed to simultaneously address the workforce needs of local and regional businesses and the re-employment needs of local and regional workers who have been displaced by changes in the coal economy. Among other things, this approach will consist of activities that result in the creation of new businesses and/or job opportunities, as well as activities that provide workers with the skills they need to secure employment in the community’s and region’s in-demand business sectors.”
- High Quality Jobs and Worker Advancement: “Competitive pre-applications/proposals and any resulting applications will be those that propose to implement or otherwise incorporate workforce development strategies that prioritize:
- The creation and growth potential of family-supporting jobs and careers;
- Workforce development activities that offer workers ‘career pathways’ upon re-employment – clear steps to additional education and training directly linked to higher-skilled and better paying jobs within the targeted industry; and
- The provision of job training courses that equip workers with industry-recognized credentials that enhance their economic mobility and advancement.”
You can find all the details on the POWER Initiative Implementation Grant (eligibility requirements, application criteria, etc.) here.
