In the Region - November 20, 2025 | Volume 10, Issue 45
Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for reading In the Region.
We're off next Thursday.🦃 We'll be back in your inboxes on December 4. 👋
ARC NEWS
$9.2M Invested to Train and Place Workers in Recovery
Today, we awarded $9.2 million in ARISE funds to the Fletcher Group to support its Connect Appalachia project. This regional initiative will provide job readiness training and job placement resources to 1,500 participants in recovery from substance use disorder across Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. 🌄
Connect Appalachia will implement the Recovery-Ready Workplaces training and education model, which was developed during a previous ARISE planning project. The model will help strengthen local recovery ecosystems, reduce workforce gaps and expand economic opportunity across the region.
Pre-applications for the next round of ARISE funding are due December 5, 2025!
Check our application resources page to learn more on how to apply.
COMMUNITY
Preston County Economic Development Authority, Fairmont State University and Glenville State University are using ARC funds to bring STEM-focused educational and workforce development to North Central West Virginia. 🤖
Developers and community leaders in Appalachian New York gathered at the Southern Tier Developers Summit to begin a coordinated effort to address the region’s housing shortage and expand workforce housing to meet local needs. 🏠
Main Street South Carolina launched the ARC-supported Small-Scale Producer Growth Accelerator, which helps small producers in Appalachian South Carolina to grow their businesses, reach new markets and strengthen the regional economy. 📈
AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES
2026 Summer Learning Applications Due December 3
Teachers and students: apply for the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy 💡and the Appalachian STEM Academy 🔬 by December 3, 2025!
Participants will have the opportunity to expand their skills in business and applied science.
Each academy will take place in July 2026 (subject to available funding). ☀️
Don't Forget: ARISE Pre-Applications Due Soon 🌄
Pre-applications for funding through the Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE) are due December 5, 2025! ⏲️
ARISE grants drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through collaborative projects that strengthen Appalachia’s communities and industries.
Check our application resources page to learn more on how to apply.
APPALACHIA IN THE NEWS
Northern Appalachia
Central Appalachia
Study to examine if water filters can improve health for households in rural Appalachia, Virginia Tech News
Southern Appalachia
