The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently announced more than $12 million in funding through its POWER Initiative for Appalachian Kentucky projects.
MACED would like to congratulate all of our partners and communities on this critical funding! We are proud to be involved in two of the projects:
$867,582 ARC grant to the Appalachian Artisan Center, Inc. in Hindman, KY, for the Troublesome Creek Stringed Instruments Company. A startup manufacturing company in making high-end custom artisanal guitars, mandolins, and mountain dulcimers from Appalachian hardwoods.
The Appalachian Artisan Center’s existing School of Luthiery will serve as the workforce development arm and Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP) will provide financial assistance for training for supplemental employment costs. They will use an existing building and woodworking facility at the Kentucky School of Craft, rented at a discounted rate by the Hazard Community and Technical College. The project will create additional demand for high quality Appalachian hardwood tonewoods and will support local businesses supplying these woods.
The company projects 18 new jobs over the first three years, growing to 37 by year six, and ultimately reaching 65 employees.
MACED is a financial partner on this initiative, and also supported the development of the luthiery’s new website.
$50,000 ARC grant to the Carr Creek Alumni Association in Littcarr, KY, for The Magic of Carr Creek: A Community Revitalization Project. Designed to maximize the economic impact of over 690,000 annual visitors to Carr Creek Lake, the project will examine the conversion of a former high school into a multiuse facility.
The project will conduct an economic feasibility/market demand study, develop a regional strategic agenda for tourism, and conduct community engagement and partnership development efforts. Project partners include the tourism offices of Letcher, Knott, and Perry counties.
MACED is supporting the development of a website to support the project.
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The Herald-Leader summarized each of the other Appalachian Kentucky grantees (for additional descriptions of each grant, visit here):
▪ The Fletcher Group in Lexington will receive $1.7 million for its Recovery, Hope, Opportunity and Resiliency program, which will help establish new recovery addiction programs in Eastern Kentucky.
▪ The East Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute in Paintsville will receive $1.5 million. The center helps train workers for advanced manufacturing jobs, and hopes to attract new industry to Eastern Kentucky.
▪ EKU will receive $1.5 million for its Kentucky’s Appalachia Aviation Maintenance Technician Training Project. The program will help 86 workers and trainees receive certification and employment as aviation technicians.
▪ The EKCEP’s Eastern Kentucky Addiction Recovery & Training Program will receive $1.5 million, which will help people recovering from addiction enter the workforce.
▪ The Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation will receive $1.3 million to expand its Supplier Education and Economic Development Program. That program helps to boost the competitiveness of manufacturing companies in coal-impacted counties in Eastern Kentucky.
▪ Fahe Inc., in Berea, will receive $1 million for its Second Chance Employment project, an initiative to help people in addiction recovery find employment.
▪ Housing Development Alliance Inc., based in Hazard, will receive $834,000 for its Hope Building program. That program provides on-the-job construction training for people in addiction recovery.
▪ The Lewis County Fiscal Court will receive $76,000 for a broadband feasibility study.
