The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a partnership of federal, state, and local governments created to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life in the 13-state region of the Appalachian Mountains, including Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. ARC funds projects that address one or more of the five goals identified by ARC in its 2022–2026 strategic plan and that can demonstrate measurable results. Goals for 2022-2026 include:
- Goal 1: Building Appalachian Businesses
- Goal 2: Building Appalachia's Workforce Ecosystem
- Goal 3: Building Appalachia's Infrastructure
- Goal 4: Building Regional Culture and Tourism
- Goal 5: Building Community Leaders and Capacity
Within each of these goals, ARC provides funding for projects in the Appalachian Region in a wide range of program areas, including asset-based development; community infrastructure; education and training; energy; entrepreneurship and business development; export and trade development; health; leadership development and capacity building; telecommunications; tourism development; and transportation and highways. Projects funded in these program areas create thousands of new jobs; improve local water and sewer systems; increase school readiness; expand access to health care; assist local communities with strategic planning; and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses.
For information regarding North Carolina's strategic goals and objectives, visit: https://www.nccommerce.com/about-us/divisions-programs/rural-economic-development/appalachian-regional-commission
A map of eligible counties, including distressed and at-risk designations, can be viewed at: https://www.nccommerce.com/about-us/divisions-programs/rural-economic-development/appalachian-regional-commission