Center for Rural Development Receives Over $103,000 in Grants from Appalachian Regional Commission for the Community Strategies Program ProjectProgram Will Provide Mini-Grants to Various Communities Across AppalachiaFRANKFORT, Ky. (September 17, 2019) – The Department for Local Government (DLG) has announced a Flex-E-Grant (FEG) package of $103,334 in mini-grants funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) that will provide strategic investments in projects that build community capacity to mobilize local resources, gain leadership experience, and strengthen community institutions and networks.
The Center for Rural Development administers the program funds in partnership with the DLG and the ARC.
Grants are subject to approval for up to $10,000, require a 20 percent match of total project costs, and are to be completed within a six month timeframe. Flex-E-Grant funds are made available on a reimbursement basis only.
The FEG program was generated from the ARC’s initiative to enhance assistance to distressed counties, and each approved project must demonstrate beneficiaries in a distressed county.
The five ARC strategic investment goals include: economic opportunities, ready workforce, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural assets, and leadership and community capacity. At all levels, ARC is committed to investing organizational and financial resources in proposals that are designed to be strategic, collaborative, impactful, and sustainable.
“These Flex-E-Grants provide our local partners with the small grant award dollars necessary to fulfill individual projects of importance to their communities – be it the design and implementation of strategic action plans, or the strengthening of community institutions,” said DLG Commissioner Sandra Dunahoo.
“Grant awards like these provide our local communities with the funds necessary to design and implement new projects that will lead to economic growth,” said Gov. Bevin. “I am grateful to DLG and ARC for their work to ensure that ongoing funding is available to support strategic investments in our Appalachian region. We appreciate each of the recipients for their commitment to their communities.”
The grants in this package include the following projects:
- Cumberland County Strategic Plan Action Steps; a $7,500 project to develop a community brand and identity with website to improve web presence and promote tourism, local programming and activities.
- City of Wayland Comprehensive Plan Update; a $6,000 strategic planning project. The initial plan was funded by The Center and has been used. The original plan is seven years old and needed to be updated and expanded.
- Meridzo and City of Lynch Collaboration Project; an $8,000 project using Bit Source to establish a city app for the City of Lynch.
- FOCUS Film Contest; a $5,000 project to develop short economic development videos of each of the five participating counties to promote and entice business to the region.
- Planning the Plan; a $9,000 strategic planning project for the tri-cities of Harlan County.
- Community Strategic Plan for Paintsville/Johnson County; a $7,984 project for the development of a strategic plan that will promote economic development.
- APPalachian Gateway; a $7,850 project using Bit Source to develop an app focused on economic development. This project involves high school students and other volunteers and benefits tourism and economic development.
- Morgan County Economic Development Website; a $7,500 comprehensive web development project.
- Pine Mountain Regional Development Industrial Authority Strategic Plan; a $10,000 strategic planning project that benefits 5 counties – Bell, Harlan, Knox, Letcher and Whitley. The plan seeks to identify and define the best approach for economic development and workforce training in the region.
- Land of Swinging Bridges; a $2,000 project to restore two swinging bridges in Clay County to a usable state and to develop a mobile app to identify bridges in Clay County.
- Menifee County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan & Regional Template; a $7,500 project for the development of a bicycle and pedestrian plan for Menifee County.
- History Garden Walk; a $5,000 project to create a history garden walk that will also be a destination stop for those traveling Boone Trace Trail and Bike 21 route. The garden will attempt to implement some elements of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate into the garden.
- Knox Ready Project; a $10,000 strategic planning project to strengthen economic development through local and regional partnerships.
- Permanent Performance Infrastructure; a $10,000 project to build a permanent stage in downtown Harlan for events to be featured in Harlan’s Bicentennial celebration.
About the Appalachian Regional CommissionThe Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC's mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
About the Department for Local GovernmentFunds are administered by DLG, an arm of the Office of the Governor dedicated to supporting local officials and communities. To learn more about the grant opportunities available through DLG, visit http://kydlgweb.ky.gov/.
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