COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik on Tuesday announced more than $6 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) will be directed toward five projects supporting workforce and economic development in communities impacted by the downturn of the coal industry.
The funding is part of the federal Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative to help address coal-related job loss in the Appalachian region.
“For generations, the hardworking people of Appalachia have helped power both Ohio and the nation as a whole—building strong communities around industries that were essential to our growth,” said Governor DeWine. “As our economy continues to evolve, we have a responsibility to ensure we’re investing in those same communities and the people who call them home.”
Projects from this funding round include efforts to create training programs to increase workforce resiliency, building robust student-to-career pipelines, and infrastructure improvements to allow for the expansion of local industry.
“A strong economy starts with a strong workforce, and that means giving all Ohioans the skills and opportunities they need to succeed,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “These investments will connect more people in Ohio’s great Appalachian region with essential training and good careers, while helping our employers build the roster they need to compete on a global scale.”
The Governor's Office of Appalachia, a division of the Ohio Department of Development, worked with local development districts in Ohio's Appalachian region to provide opportunities for projects that could qualify for funding and aid in the federal application process.
“The lasting economic growth we’ve seen across our state these past eight years only happens when communities, employers, educators, and workforce partners are all working toward the same goal,” said Director Mihalik. “POWER brings those partners together around locally driven projects that create opportunity, strengthen our workforce, and position Appalachian Ohio for long-term success.”
“At ARC, we know the residents of Appalachia’s coal communities are resilient, integral drivers of our region’s economy,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The investments announced in this round of POWER will build upon their hard work by expanding job training opportunities and attracting new industries as our 13 states continue to push toward the next era of Appalachian prosperity.”
This latest announcement is the ARC's largest POWER investment since the initiative was launched in 2015, with projects impacting 365 counties across Appalachia.
