Obama Administration Announces $66M via POWER Initiative

In partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the availability of $65.8 million in new funding through the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative. The POWER Initiative is a multi-agency effort aligning and targeting federal economic and workforce development resources to communities, regions and workers that have been affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries. The new funding will help communities and regions develop new strategies for economic growth and worker advancement.

According to the Federal Funding Announcement, funds are available for a range of activities, including:

• Developing projects that diversify local and regional economies, create jobs in new and/or existing industries, attract new sources of job-creating investment and provide a range of workforce services and skills training;
• Building partnerships to attract and invest in the economic future of coal-impacted communities; and,
• Increasing capacity and other technical assistance fostering long term economic growth and opportunity in coal-impacted communities.

The POWER Initiative is part of President Obama’s POWER+ Plan, a broader set of investments in coal-impacted communities, workers, and coal technology that is in the president’s FY 2017 budget. There is no pre-defined eligibility list of impacted coal communities, and applications will be accepted from U.S. states, local governments, institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations. To receive POWER funding, eligible entities must submit a pre-applications, which are accepted on a continuing basis. More information is available at: https://www.eda.gov/power/.