FOA-Limited Submission – Appalachian Regional Commission – Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER); LOI March 5, 2021

 

Purpose: The Appalachian Regional Commission’s Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative targets federal resources to help communities and regions that have been affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy production. The POWER Initiative supports efforts to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities by cultivating economic diversity, enhancing job training and re-employment opportunities, creating jobs in existing or new industries, and attracting new sources of investment. All applications will be reviewed on their ability to address at least one of these priority areas (see program guidelines for complete details on priorities):

  1. Building a Competitive Workforce
  2. Fostering Entrepreneurial Activities
  3. Developing Industry Clusters in Communities
  4. Strengthening Substance Abuse Response
  5. Broadband

 

Prior to submission of the application, every applicant is required to contact the state program managers of the states impacted by the project proposal. The state officials will ensure that the proposals are also in alignment with their state Appalachian economic development plans and strategy statements. Note: Only local development districts (LDDs) may submit more than one POWER application in an application period.

 

Cost Share/Matching Funds: Under POWER FY21, applicants for an ARC grant must demonstrate a matching share from non-ARC sources that is identified and forthcoming to the project. Matching sources may be non-federal, other federal, or a combination of sources, including in-kind sources. The maximum share of ARC assistance is determined by the ARC classification of the county (or all counties) served by the proposed activity. Applicants may request up to 80% of the total project cost when the county served by a project has been designated as economically “distressed” according to ARC’s FY21 classification. A table summarizing ARC’s economic designations and the maximum ARC share for each Appalachian county can be found online at www.arc.gov/POWER. (Please see guidelines for complete details on determining the level of match required.)

 

Eligibility: Eligible POWER projects must be located within and targeted to communities or regions that have been recently impacted, or can reasonably demonstrate that they will be impacted in the near future, by coal- mining or coal-power plant employment loss, or employment loss in the supply-chain or logistics industries of either.

 

Funding Amount/Project Period:  Planning Grants - $50,000 total costs for 12 months.  Implementation Grants - $400,000 to $1.5 million total costs for 12- 36 months

 

Institutional Limit: 1

 

Link to Funding Opportunity Announcement

 

Internal Competition: To participate in the university’s selection process,please upload the following,assembled into a single PDF file, to the Office of the Vice President for Research via this portal with a copy to your Associate Dean for Research by February 16, 2021:

·        Names and departments or affiliations of the project director and other key personnel or partners

·        Title of program and/or funding opportunity announcement number

·        Brief project description (2 pages maximum)

·        Brief biosketch

·        Budget, including source of the cost share

 

A committee will be convened to review the material and make a recommendation.

 

For questions or issues with submission through the portal, email the limited submission mailbox (limitedsubmissions@uky.edu), or call 257-2861.

 

Agency Deadline: required letter of intent - March 5, 2020; full application - April 16, 2021