Follow the link below for the official webinar clip about READY Appalachia
Technical Assistance for Energy Communities Webinar Series – Webinar 1 - January 10, 2023
If you’re an organization in Appalachia looking for resources to build your capacity, you need to take a look at the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) READY Nonprofits program. Formerly known as the Appalachian Nonprofit Resource Center, this revamped initiative is part of a larger effort called READY Appalachia and includes a full training curriculum and flexible funding to nonprofit executives and board members.
Organizations accepted into the program join a 10 week long course covering topics on organizational capacity building.
Upon completion of the course, organizations become eligible for up to $25k in match-free grant funding, and receive free assistance in formulating their proposals.
More details on the training and funding program
Who is eligible
Any nonprofit organization in the Appalachian Region is eligible, however special consideration will be given to those serving communities in what ARC considers “distressed areas”, counties specifically targeted by the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities, and marginalized populations. If you serve in one of these areas, you stand a better chance of winning a spot in the program.
ARC-classified distressed areas
IWG targeted counties in Eastern Kentucky: Bell, Breathitt, Carter, Clay Elliott, Loyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, and Wolfe.
About the courses
Those accepted into the program will participate in virtual courses with only a small group of one or two organizations, and will also have regular one-on-one time with the instructor. The courses are tool-based, and will include a 3 month follow-up consultation with the instructor. Course topics include:
- Board Development
- Financial Management
- Fundraising
- Human Capital: Recruitment & Retention
- Marketing Communications
- Programs & Operations
Match-free funding
The organizations who complete the 10-week course become eligible for non-competitive grant funding. This is funding that no one but the cohort has access to. The organizations can apply for up to $25k in funding, but it must be for a project related to organizational capacity building, such as: hiring more staff, IT infrastructure, contracting out for strategic plans, etc. While in the grant application phase, READY Nonprofits provides free assistance in developing the grant idea.
This model is also available to community foundations, local governments, and local development districts through READY Appalachia.
How to apply
The next READY Nonprofits cohort application dates have NOT yet been announced. Grant Ready Kentucky will remain in close contact with ARC, and be sure to send out information through our newsletter and this blog. In the meantime, we highly encourage you to sign up for ARC’s Weekly Newsletter here: https://www.arc.gov/newsletter-signup.