Local Economy Lab: Funding to Support Coal Communities in Transition

Local Economy Lab: Funding to Support Coal Communities in Transition is sponsored by Just Transition Fund. This program offers funding and technical assistance to help coal communities build community-led economic transition projects. Solutions are focused on workforce development, entrepreneurship/small business support, and place-based infrastructure.

Local Economy Lab - Just Transition Fund Applications Now Open! Submit Your Place-Based Infrastructure project to the Local Economy Lab. Learn more!

Welcome to the Local Economy Lab , our central hub for helping coal communities seed, grow, and scale transformative economic projects. Guided by our Framework for Economic Transition, the Lab supports bold, community-driven solutions across three connected areas: workforce development, entrepreneurship and small business support, and place-based infrastructure.

Together, these strategies create economic opportunity in place and strengthen local economics from the ground up. The Lab supports projects at every stage of development, from early planning and piloting to full implementation and growth. Our Grantmaking Strategy and Priorities We believe the most effective economic development efforts are rooted in local assets and shaped by the people who live and work in these communities.

Coal community recovery takes more than replacing jobs, and requires investment on multiple fronts. When plants and mines close, communities lose critical tax base, infrastructure investment, and economic momentum all at once.

Through the Lab, we support projects that drive locally led economic diversification through: We support workforce programs that train local workers for jobs in growing sectors, including programs that partner with local employers, offer wraparound support, and create youth career pathways. Entrepreneurship & Small Business Support We know small businesses are the backbone of rural communities.

To help them grow, we prioritize projects that provide direct support for individual entrepreneurs and businesses and build the competitive industry sectors that generate lasting jobs. Place-based InfrastructurE Now accepting applications! Critical to economic diversification are quality of life strategies that make necessary investments in a place.

We support site-specific investments on former coal sites, community revitalization efforts, and broadband and digital connectivity projects. SEE RFP HERE – Deadline July 24 We are accepting applications for projects serving counties that are experiencing economic distress as a result of coal plant and/or mine closures, from organizations that are deeply rooted in coal-affected areas.

Qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments are eligible to apply.

Through the Lab, we will provide winning projects: Flexible one-year grants that support a wide range of activities, planning to implementation Tailored technical assistance , including help accessing federal funding Connection to a national peer network We’re looking to support projects with a profound vision and the ability to make a lasting impact on their local economies, and will evaluate all proposals on the following criteria: Bold ideas with potential to transform local economies.

Alignment with a growing sector that has a strong local fit. Meaningful engagement from community-based organizations, local government, employers, and educational institutions. Secured or forthcoming financial commitment from public and/or private sources, from seed funding for early-stage projects to significant investment for proven models.

An approach that could be adapted in other rural coal communities with limited access to financial resources and services. Ready to apply for support for your place-based infrastructure project? Fill out our Step 1 Application .

Questions? Contact Marissa Berkley . Our next RFP will open in summer 2026.

Looking for information on our Federal Access Center? Helping communities access federal funding remains a key service we’ll provide. We’ve folded the FAC into our Local Economy Lab.

Funding to support federal applications will be available for our current grantees. You can review the impact made by our Federal Access Center here.