Appalachian Regional Commission

1. Appalachian Regional Commission

2. Presentation Goals • ARC Program Overview • 2015 Grant Application Process • Examples of ARC support for Local Food Systems

3. Appalachian Regional Commission • Is a unique federal-state partnership providing social and economic support for a 13-state region. • Was established by the United States Congress in 1965, when Appalachia was considered "a region apart" from the rest of the nation, ARC has worked to bring Appalachia's 22 million people into America's economic mainstream.

5. North Carolina ARC Goals • To continue to build regional capacity to address challenges. • To improve the linkage of the ARC program with other state community and economic development efforts. • ARC efforts are focused in three programming areas: • Consolidated Technical Assistance Program • ARC Non-Highway Program • ARC Highway Program

6. ARC Funding in NC • ARC money cannot be the only money in the project. • ARC construction grants require a basic agency to administrator the grant. • Some Basic Agencies are: • EDA, RD, EPA, HUD/CDBG • ARC Funds take on the characteristics of Basic Agency • ARC non-construction grant application do not require a basic agency. • Maximum grant amounts: • Construction: $300,000 ($500,000 at-risk/distressed) • Non-Construction: $100,000 ($300,000 at-risk/distressed)

7. FY 2016 Application Process • Pre-application guidance posted on March 2, 2015 • Pre-Applications due on April 16, 2015 • Notify applicants on/about May 14, 2015 • Full Applications due on June 18, 2015 • Recommendations submitted to the Governor by August 11, 2015 • Projects sent to D.C. on/about September 2, 2015 ** Dates subject to change

8. ARC Support forLocal Food Systems

9. Livestock Sales Arena ARC provided funding to help WNC communities purchase equipment for use in the auction and sale of local livestock. Funding was also made available to purchase equipment and supplies for business training to producers and to cover the cost of grant administration.

10. Western NC Farmers Market received funding to develop a long-range master plan to address the facility's business operations and infrastructure needs.

11. Manna FoodBank (Asheville) is a private, not-for-profit service organization, that links the food industry with over 200 partner agencies in 16 counties of WNC. Since 2005, Blue Ridge Food Ventures (Asheville) has offered farmers, food and natural products entrepreneurs, caterers, bakers, and food truck and mobile cart operators an opportunity to bring their product ideas to market by providing an 11,000 sq. ft. shared-use kitchen and manufacturing facility. Foothills Pilot Plant, LLC (Marion) was established to serve independent poultry and rabbit growers, with USDA and FDA inspected processing of their animals, and to establish best practices for small scale poultry production.

12. Bon Appétit Appalachia! Showcases 283 of the Appalachian Region's most distinctive food destinations. Sites featured include local farms, farmers markets, farm-to- table restaurants, wineries, craft breweries, and other culinary destinations. The mapguide's launch builds on ARC's efforts to promote Appalachia's local- food economy as the Region struggles with declines in mining, forestry, chemical industries, and heavy industry. Supporting its growing food-systems sector is one of the important steps the Region has taken to diversify its economic base.

13. Contact Information Olivia Collier Director, Appalachian Regional Commission Program  ocollier@nccommerce.com Phone: 919-715-o535  or Libby Smith Asst. Director, Appalachian Regional Commission Program lsmith@nccommerce.com Phone: 919-715-0538 www.ncccommerce.com/arc