Today, Governor Mike DeWine, LT. Governor Jon Husted and the Ohio Department of Development announced details for the Appalachian Community Grant Program. This program will infuse $500 million into Ohio's 32-county Appalachian region to revitalize communities and stimulate transformational change.
This morning, the Governor's Office of Appalachia released detailed guidelines for the program, including project requirements, eligibility and the awards timeline.
The $500-million Appalachian Community Grant Program is part of DeWine's "OhioBuilds – Small Communities, Big Impact – A Plan for Appalachia." The program will specifically support transformational projects in Ohio's Appalachian communities that focus on infrastructure development, physical and behavioral health and workforce development. As part of this program, up to $30 million will support project planning and technical assistance, and the remaining $470 million will be awarded to implement development projects.
The Appalachian Community Grant Program was created with the support of the Ohio General Assembly and is funded as part of House Bill 377. Guidelines for the grant program were developed in coordination with members of the legislature and numerous stakeholders.