Each year in Pennsylvania, ARC provides funding for numerous projects in the Appalachian Region in a wide range of program areas. The projects funded in the program areas create thousands of new jobs, improve local water and sewer systems, increase school readiness, expand access to health care, assist local communities with strategic planning and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses.
The state will look favorably at projects where there are new business start-ups and job creation and at those projects that will enhance the community and economic vitality of the state. When approving a particular project, the state will also consider whether the project will improve, on a continuing rather than a temporary basis, the opportunities for employment and the average level of income or economic and social development of the area served by the project.
The priorities for investment of ARC resources are determined essentially to accomplish four long-term strategic goals for Pennsylvania’s economy:
- Increase job opportunities and per capita income in Appalachia to reach parity with the nation
- Strengthen the capacity of the people of Appalachia to compete in the global economy
- Develop and improve Appalachia's infrastructure to make the Region economically competitive
- Build the Appalachian Development Highway System to reduce Appalachia's isolation
Eligible projects include but are not limited to:
- Technical assistance projects
- Industrial site development
- Local access road
- Local government assistance demonstration projects
- Acquisition and development business incubator or multi-tenant facilities
- Destination or asset-based tourism
- Not-for-profit entities