Four organizations receive funding in latest POWER grant program
The projects announced recently are the Appalachian Regional Commission's largest POWER investments since the initiative was launched in 2015.
Four Tennessee-based organizations are among 65 across the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) footprint who will share $68.2 million awarded in the latest round of funding under the agency’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. POWER directs federal resources to economic diversification and revitalization projects in Appalachian communities affected by the downturn of the coal industry.
The projects announced recently are ARC’s largest POWER investments since the initiative was launched in 2015, with projects impacting 188 counties in 10 Appalachian states: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
City of Pigeon Forge:
Project Title: Pigeon Forge Raw Water Transmission Line Improvement Project
Award Amount: $2,000,000
Project Summary: The project will construct an 8,000 linear feet of water transmission line, part of upgrades to the raw water intake system at Douglas Lake, and a 13-mile overall raw water transmission main line to the water treatment plant. As tourism becomes an increasingly important part of Sevier County’s economy, the project will ensure that the city and county, which rely on raw water from nearby Douglas Lake, have the water intake and transmission line capacity to reliably serve residents, businesses, and visitors for years to come.
Anderson County:
Project Title: Anderson County EMS Training Center
Award Amount: $1,021,256
Project Summary: ARC grants of $1,021,256 to Anderson County, Tennessee, for the Anderson
County EMS Training Center project. This project includes the construction of a 5,690-squarefoot training facility to serve as a hub for emergency medical services (EMS) workforce development. Additionally, Anderson County will hire two trainers to prepare students and workers for opportunities as certified emergency healthcare responders. The project is anticipated to train up to 135 participants in three years.
The Company Lab:
Project Title: Rural Small Business Development
Award Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: ARC grant of $50,000 to CO.LAB in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the Rural
Small Business Development project. This project will develop a strategic plan to build the
entrepreneurial ecosystem and foster entrepreneurial activities in Marion, Sequatchie,
Bledsoe, Rhea, Hamilton, Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, and Polk counties in Southeast Tennessee.
The plan will address community-specific barriers to entrepreneurial success based on
listening sessions, stakeholder surveys, and interviews with local entrepreneurs and small
business owners. The plan will also identify partners able to provide complimentary resources
upon implementation, including technical support, co-working and incubation space, and
access to capital. A strategic implementation that identifies new partners and their roles, lays
out a timeline, and sets ecosystem goals into 2026 and beyond will be developed.
Woodland Community Land Trust:
Project Title: Planning for a Diverse Outdoor Recreation Economy: Small Business Incubation and Trail System Design
Award Amount: $48,000
Project Summary: ARC grant of $48,000 to Woodland Community Land Trust (WCLT) in
Clairfield, Tennessee, for the Planning for a Diverse Outdoor Recreation Economy: Small
Business Incubation and Trail System Design project. The project will develop a
comprehensive trail connectivity plan and lay the groundwork for a business incubator for
outdoor recreation, arts, and culture. In partnership with the Recreation Economy for Rural
Communities (RERC) steering committee partners in Campbell and Claiborne counties, the
project will produce one plan that will help move the region’s community engagement work
forward, test the feasibility of the action plan, and prepare the grantee to implement the
incubator and trail connectivity improvements.
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