Federal Grant Award Summary

Bedford County received a $113,545 Project Grant award from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) under the Appalachian Area Development program (CFDA 23.002), effective May 1, 2025, with a completion date of December 31, 2026. This award supports organizational capacity-building initiatives aligned with ARC's strategic mission to strengthen economic development and community resilience across the Appalachian region. While specific project deliverables are not detailed in the award documentation, the funding is designated to advance organizational capacity within Bedford County, Pennsylvania, consistent with ARC's five strategic focus areas: entrepreneurial and business development, resident education and skills enhancement, critical infrastructure investment, leverage of cultural and natural heritage assets, and local leadership capacity development.

The award reflects ARC's commitment to assisting distressed counties in establishing sustainable economic development foundations. Bedford County, as a long-standing federal grant recipient since 2008, has demonstrated capacity in managing diverse federally-funded initiatives ranging from infrastructure improvements to community development projects. The organizational capacity component of this funding supports the county's ability to plan, implement, and manage economic and community development strategies that conform to Pennsylvania's Appalachian State Development Plan and advance regional competitiveness.