Appalachian Regional Development (See individual Appalachian Programs)

To help the regional economy become more competitive by putting in place the building blocks for self-sustaining economic development, while continuing to provide special assistance to the Region's most distressed counties and areas. This program focuses on activities which support ARC's mission to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia. Activities funded must advance ARC's strategic plan. Specific program goals are: (1) Invest in entrepreneurial and business development strategies that strengthen Appalachia's economy; (2) Increase the education, knowledge, skills, and health of residents to work and succeed in Appalachia; (3) Invest in critical infrastructure-especially broadband; transportation, including the Appalachian Development Highway System; and water/wastewater systems; (4) Strengthen Appalachia's community and economic development potential by leveraging the Region's natural and cultural heritage assets; and (5) Build the capacity and skills of current and next-generation leaders and organizations to innovate, collaborate, and advance community and economic development. Specific objectives were developed for each goal. Grants are made either directly by the Commission or grants may supplement other Federal grants.

States, and through the States, public bodies and private nonprofit organizations. All proposed projects must meet the requirements of the State Appalachian plan and the annual State strategy statement, both of which must be approved annually by the Commission.

General public.

(See individual Appalachian program descriptions.)

Appalachian funds enable the States and local areas to develop networks of facilities and services. Individual programs following this description illustrate the types of investments that can be made. In considering programs and projects to be given assistance under this Act, and in establishing a priority ranking of the requests for assistance presented to the Commission (ARC), the ARC follows procedures insuring consideration of the following factors: (1) The relationship of the project or class of projects to overall regional development and the reduction of economic distress; (2) the population and area to be served including the relative per capita income and the unemployment rates in the area; (3) the relative financial resources available to the State or political subdivision or instrumentalities thereof which seek to undertake the project; (4) the importance of the project or class of projects in relation to other activities which may compete for the same funds; (5) the prospects that the project for which assistance is sought will improve the opportunities for sustained employment, income growth, or socioeconomic development of the area; and (6) the degree and manner of private sector involvement. No financial assistance can be used to assist establishments relocating from one area to another. Each State is required to file a State Appalachian development plan, appraising prospects for development in its Appalachian area and relating to them a strategic program for which Appalachian funding is requested in that year. Once an application is submitted for the individual projects and given final approval, the grant is administered either by the basic Federal agency involved in that type of program or directly by the ARC. The counties (including any political subdivision located within such area)in which investment under the Appalachian Act (40 U.S.C. 14102) can be made are: in Alabama, the counties of Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay, Cleburne, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Pickens, Randolph, Saint Clair, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa, Walker, and Winston; in Georgia, the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnet, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Heard, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield; in Kentucky, the counties of Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe; in Maryland, the counties of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington; in Mississippi, the counties of Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, Itawamba, Kemper, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Montgomery, Monroe, Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, Winston, and Yalobusha; in New York, the counties of Allegany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqa, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins; in North Carolina, the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Davie, Forsyth, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Stokes, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey; in Ohio, the counties of Adams, Ashtabula, Athens, Belmont, Brown, Carroll, Clermont, Columbiana, Coshocton,Gallia,Guernsey,Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mahoning, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Vinton, and Washington; in Pennsylvania, the counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Bradford, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lawrence, Luzerne, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, and Wyoming; in South Carolina, the counties of Anderson, Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg; in Tennessee, the counties of Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Cumberland, De Kalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Lewis, Loudon, McMinn, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putman, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, and White; in Virginia, the counties of Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Highland, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Rockbridge, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe; all the counties of West Virginia.

See individual Programs

The following describes the general nature and Administration of Appalachian Regional Development Program. The Appalachian Regional Development program is a joint Federal-State partnership for the development of the Appalachian region. Responsibility for the development of plans and programs authorized under the Act is vested in the ARC, composed of the 13 State Governors (who may appoint alternates) and a Federal Co-Chairman. General policies and procedures, and the allocation of Appalachian funds among the various programs and States are established by the ARC. Application for assistance may only be made through a State member of the ARC. The State Alternate's Offices are the coordinators for the Governors for Appalachian investments. Preapplication conferences can determine within a few weeks if the project conforms to the State Appalachian Development Plan. The appropriate local development district director should be the first contact. The State Alternate's Offices will provide guidance on specific problems and technical assistance in the preparation of applications. (See individual Appalachian program descriptions.) Only infrastructure projects require an environmental review. Please see 40 U.S.C. 14507.

Applications for individual projects must be submitted by and have the approval of the State Alternate to the Appalachian Regional Commission (listed in the appendix). (See individual Appalachian program description.)

Upon receipt of project applications approved by the State, the Federal Co-Chairman determines that the project satisfies all requirements for assistance under the Act and approves the application. If a basic Federal agency will administer the project, it is then notified and will disburse funds when appropriate. The ARC notifies Congressional offices and the office of the Governor of grant awards. (See individual Appalachian program descriptions.)

(See individual Appalachian program descriptions.)

Generally renewals are not applicable except for administrative expenses, including technical services, of local development districts (23.009).

There are no appeal procedures as such, project review allows for full and free interchange with applicants.