Appalachian Regional Commission Grants for Tennessee Development

Appalachian Regional Commission Grants for Tennessee Development is sponsored by Appalachian Regional Commission. Tennessee nonprofits can access funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission to support economic development, workforce preparation, and critical infrastructure projects in eligible Appalachian counties.

About ARC Grants - Appalachian Regional Commission ARC uses congressionally appropriated funds to invest in the region’s economic and community development through grants. Projects must take place within the Appalachian Region as defined by the Appalachian Regional Development Act (ARDA) of 1965 . For projects with a geographic scope extending beyond ARC’s footprint, only activities within the region would be eligible for funding.

The strongest project proposals are strategic, impactful, collaborative and sustainable. Before applying for ARC support, read the general information below and contact your ARC state program manager .

ARC awards grants to s tate and local government entitie s ( including countie s, cities, towns, local development districts , school districts , public authorities and other governmental entities) , Indian tribes, institut ions of higher education and nonprofit organizations. ARC does not award grants to individuals or for-profit entities.

S ome ARC grant programs may limit eligible entities to a smaller pool, such as the eligibility requirements for our tailored READY Appalachia learning tracks. ARC offers a variety of grant funding , capacity-building , contracting and other opportunities for eligible applicants. Some are considered specialized projects and have their own sets of unique technical requirements.

Explore our opportunities and see how they can help you strengthen your Appalachian community. All ARC grant applicants must have an active registration in SAM (System for Award Management) and a valid UEI (Unique Entity Identifier). Applicants can access application checklists, forms and other documents necessary for successful grant applications.

Matching refers to the portion of project costs not paid by ARC funds. By law, most ARC grants require match funding. Match rates are based on the economic status designations of counties served by the proposed project.

In some cases, states may have additional matching requirements. ARC Area Development grant applications are first reviewed and approved at the state level before being sent to the larger Commission for funding consideration. Other grant initiatives, like ARISE , POWER , INSPIRE and READY Appalachia , require applications to be submitted directly to ARC for consideration, before they are sent to states for the required review.

The review process, which is described in each initiative’s notice of solicitation of applications (NOSA), varies for each initiative. An ARC project coordinator is assigned to review applications that are being considered for ARC funding. This individual may seek clarification and will otherwise work with the applicant to refine their project proposal.

This generally includes, but is not limited to, examining the project concept and its economic development purpose, clarifying budget costs, and ensuring the receipt of necessary match funds, among other measures. Following a review period, ARC will give final consideration to grant proposals that have been recommended for funding.

Before grant funding can be provided, project proposals must receive final approval from all necessary entities, including an ARC division director, ARC’s Executive Director and ARC’s Federal Co-Chair. In addition, an electronic grant agreement between the grantee and ARC (or the administering federal agency – see below) must be signed before funding is valid.

ARC administers non-construction grants in accordance with applicable federal law and appropriate guidance from the Office of Management and Budget, in particular the Uniform Guidance ( 2 CFR Part 200 ). These requirements can be modified by the ARC Federal Co-Chair and Governor’s State Alternates ( ARC Code Section 8. 1 (a) ).

Non-construction projects are managed by ARC’s Division of Business and Workforce Investment (BWI) or its Division of Critical Infrastructure (DCI), depending on the project. Grant management activities are conducted through Pathways , ARC’s grant management system. Access forms, manuals, user resources for Pathways and other grant management documents on our Grantee Resources page.

Projects involving significant construction are administered by a registered state basic agency (RSBA) or a federal basic agency (BA) that has an agreement with ARC to do so. ARC’s DCI team oversees the coordination and management of these projects, working closely with both the applicant or grantee and the basic agency to facilitate successful administration.

ARC grants are subject to federal laws, regulations, and other terms and conditions. Grant recipients and subrecipients can use this guide as a primer for successful federal grant management. ARC’s Investment Priorities for Appalachia