Ohio Folk Centers: A Merging of Culture, Workforce Development, Education, & Healthcare was awarded a grant to conduct a feasibility study of the creation of such centers in the coal-impacted communities in 3 COUNTIES of Ohio.
Stewart Ohio, November 2023 — Federal Valley Resource Center has been awarded $39,825 by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to conduct a feasibility study of creating a network of folk centers in Perry, Athens, and Meigs Counties in Ohio. This award is part of a recently announced nearly $54 million package supporting 64 projects in 217 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative, which directs federal resources to economic diversification projects in Appalachian communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries. This is the largest single POWER awards package to date since the initiative launched in 2015.
This project is a collaboration between Federal Valley Resource Center, United Plant Savers, Corning Civic Center, the OHIO Career Ready Campus at Patton College of Education, and the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine of Ohio University.
“From workforce training and agriculture, to downtown development and broadband expansion, the projects receiving grants in this round of POWER funding show that the future of Appalachia’s coal-impacted communities is economically diverse and innovative,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Projects like these are resulting in life-changing transformations, which in turn, not only provides new economic opportunities, but brings a renewed sense of hopeand purpose across our Appalachian Region.”
“We believe that Folk Centers have the potential to transform Appalachian Ohio while preserving its cultural heritage and uplifting our local community.”
–Talcon Quinn
Including today’s award package, ARC has invested over $420 million in 507 projects impacting 365 coal-impacted counties since POWER was established in 2015. ARC’s investments have helped create or retain over 53,000 jobs and prepare over 142,000 workers and students for new opportunities in entrepreneurship, broadband, tourism, and other growing industries.
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About the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development partnership entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia.
