Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER)
- Currently Closed
Open Date:
Close Date:
Upcoming Milestones:
2/22/2022 – The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for its POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative, which supports economic diversification in Appalachia’s communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries.
Letters of Intent (LOI) for implementation grants up to $1.5 million and planning grants up to $50,000 under POWER are due April 4, 2022. The deadline for final applications is April 29, 2022. Award announcements are anticipated to be made in the fall of 2022. Additional information regarding the application process is available at www.arc.gov/power.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to participate in a virtual pre-application workshop on Tuesday, March 10, 2022. ARC staff will outline key points in the new RFP and the characteristics of a successful application, and attendees will have the opportunity to ask their questions during an interactive Q&A session. Learn more and register here.
Eligible Recipients:
- Educational Institution
- Local Government
- Native/Tribal Entity
- Non-profit
- State Government
Program Purpose:
Reserved for Energy
Communities?
Funded by:
Overview
The Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative makes available federal resources to help communities and regions affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain or logistics industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production and the coal economy. POWER supports efforts to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities by cultivating economic diversity, enhancing job training and reemployment opportunities, creating jobs in existing or new industries, and attracting new sources of investment.
Projects must address at least one of the investment priorities of the program:
- Building Competitive Workforce
- Fostering Entrepreneurial Activities
- Developing Industry Clusters
- Strengthening Substance Use Disorder Recovery, or
- Broadband
Successful POWER grant applications will demonstrate the ability to produce diverse economic development outcomes, including diversifying commercial and industrial bases of local and regional economies, creating well-paying jobs in new or emerging industries, expanding workforce service and skills training, and attracting new sources of public and private investment. Proposals may also include plans to integrate multiple economic development systems and support the implementation of existing economic development strategic plans on a local, regional, or federal level.
Funding Details
Funding Source:
- Ongoing Appropriation
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Applicant Guidance
https://www.arc.gov/arcs-power-initiative (ARC’s POWER Initiative website)