Workforce training

Federal Grant Award Summary

Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) received a $959,218 Project Grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) under the Appalachian Area Development program (CFDA 23.002) awarded on October 1, 2025, with a completion date of December 1, 2027. This award supports workforce training initiatives designed to enhance educational access and economic development in the rural Appalachian region of Southwest Virginia. The funding advances ARC's strategic objectives to increase education, knowledge, and skills development among residents to strengthen workforce competitiveness and support self-sustaining economic development in distressed areas.

As a critical educational resource serving approximately 5,600 students annually in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, MECC will leverage this grant to deliver workforce training programs that address the region's economic challenges, which are characterized by high poverty rates and limited employment opportunities. The college has a demonstrated track record of successfully implementing federal workforce and education initiatives, including career and technical education programs and rural health workforce training. Through this ARC investment, MECC will continue developing human capital and building community capacity in Southwest Virginia, contributing to broader regional economic revitalization goals aligned with the Appalachian Area Development program's focus on workforce and education advancement.