The Appalachian Regional Commission is a partnership among thirteen states and the federal government providing financial investment and technical assistance to eligible applicants in support of community and economic development in Georgia’s 37 county Appalachian region. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, the ARC board is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair appointed by the president.
A map of Georgia’s Appalachian region is available under the Publications tab below.
ARC invests in activities that address the five goals identified in the Commission's strategic plan 2022-2026:
Goal 1: Building Appalachian Businesses
Strengthen and diversify the Region’s economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development.
Goal 2: Building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem
Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
Goal 3: Building Appalachia’s Infrastructure
Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable and affordable utilities and infrastructure in order to successfully live and work in the Region.
Goal 4: Building Regional Culture and Tourism
Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by preserving and investing in the Region’s local, cultural heritage, and natural assets.
Goal 5: Building Community Leaders and Capacity
Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.
Georgia will invest in projects consistent with those priorities identified in Georgia’s Four Year Development Plan and the Governor's Annual State Strategy Statement. These documents are available in the Publications section below.
DCA partners with the five regional commissions serving Georgia’s ARC region to provide technical assistance to local governments and other organizations applying for funds:
Application Procedures:
All parties interested in ARC investment must complete a pre-application in advance of proceeding to the full application. The necessary pre-application document is available below in the Applications Section. This document is the only approved method of pre-application for funding.
Eligible organizations may submit a complete application at any time after approval of the pre-application. Prior to submission of a pre-application, please contact Annaka.woodruff@dca.ga.gov for technical assistance.
