Program Communities/Program Participation
OPPORTUNITY APPALACHIA
Priority Communities:
- ARC-designated Distressed Areas and Distressed and At-Risk Counties
- Persistent Poverty Communities (defined as any community (county or census tract) that has had 20% or more of its population living in poverty over the last 30 year period)
- Rural communities – meeting any of these federal definitions
- Federal Opportunity Zones and New Markets Tax Credit census tracts
- ARC designated Coal Impacted Communities (dependence, impact, or risk)
For more information on the 2020-2021 Opportunity Appalachia program, please see 2020-2021 Project Portfolio, and 2020-2021 Program Summary and Impact Statement here
PROGRAM PARTICIPATION (2022)
The Fall application round is only open to projects in the Appalachian Counties of Tennessee and Virginia. We are not currently accepting applications from North Carolina, Ohio, or West Virginia as all TA funding for these states was allocated in the first round in April 2022.
To participate in Opportunity Appalachia and receive technical assistance for project prospectus development and support for capital raising, we encourage you to:
- Join the Tennessee & Virginia outreach webinar, October 6, 2022. See Webinar information below.
- Submit the Opportunity Appalachia application to participate, see below for the link to the application and submission dates. It is anticipated that approximately seven communities/projects/businesses in Tennessee and Virginia will be selected to participate in the Opportunity Appalachia program. If you have questions about the application, please contact the lead state partner in your state, see below.
Opportunity Appalachia welcomes applications targeting one community / project and welcomes applications targeting several communities/projects that have compatible development strategies. Opportunity Appalachia will review applications with one or more projects identified for investment.
APPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION (PDF)- CLICK HERE
Application Deadline: November 18th, 2022
Applications must be submitted via the Online Application Form to be considered for program support.
STATE OUTREACH MEETINGS
To learn more about the Opportunity Appalachia program, please attend a session.
Program Launch Webinar Recording
January 25, 2022 1:00 – 2:30 pm
Opportunity Appalachia hosted a launch webinar on January 25 to launch a second, expanded phase of Opportunity Appalachia. The webinar featured Gayle Manchin, Federal co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, pre-recorded remarks from Tom Barkin, President & CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond*, and a welcome from Donna Gambrell, President & CEO of Appalachian Community Capital. All interested community and economic development leaders, local elected officials, developers, and business owners interested in projects in the Appalachian counties of NC, OH, TN, VA, and WV can watch the recording to learn about the opportunity to obtain technical assistance for real estate development projects that move communities forward.
Tennessee & Virginia Fall Outreach Meeting
Thursday, October 6, 1:00 – 2:30 PM Eastern Time
Opportunity Appalachia hosted an informational webinar for TN & VA projects on October 6 to share information about our Fall Application Round. The webinar featured Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development, Bryan Horn, Director of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and a welcome from Donna Gambrell, President & CEO of Appalachian Community Capital.
