Cocke County to receive no-cost training, access to funding

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) announced that Cocke County is among 90 local government entities, representing 12 Appalachian states, selected to participate in READY Local Governments. One of four tailored tracks under ARC’s capacity-building initiative, READY Appalachia, READY Local Governments is designed to help participants leverage federal funding opportunities and create lasting, positive change in their communities.

READY Local Governments participants will participate in nine weeks of virtual, cohort-based learning to grow their skills in project identification and planning, federal grant application development, federal grant regulations and compliance, community engagement in projects, and more.

“ARC’s local government partners have always been the backbone of our on-the-ground work throughout our Appalachian communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Through our READY Local Governments initiative, we are proud to help these partners enhance their work through training, resources, and expanded support, because when our local communities thrive, the entire Appalachian Region succeeds.”

A majority of participants represent at least one of the following:

Distressed areas and census tractsInteragency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities priority communitiesRural Partners Network Community Networks communitiesHistorically underserved and marginalized populations

Following completion of the training program, participants will be eligible to apply for up to $50,000 in funding (no-match required) to implement internal capacity-building projects to help them better serve communities.

Since the launch of READY Appalachia in July 2022, ARC has provided training and funding to help the region’s Local Development Districts (LDDs) and nonprofit organizations build internal capacity to better serve their communities. Nearly $4 million has been awarded through READY LDDs and more than $1.6 million has been awarded through READY Nonprofits. Opportunities for philanthropic organizations in the Appalachian Region will be available through READY Foundations later this year.