WASHINGTON, D.C., —Monday, Nov. 9, ARC announced the Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center (ANRC) is now offering expertly curated  resources on financial management, sustainable operations, fundraising, and other tools free of charge. Although the resource directory is primarily responsive to the specific needs of Appalachian nonprofits during the COVID crisis, the materials are available to any user, and will be continually updated throughout 2021.

This month, ANRC will begin intensive training and coaching to 105 nonprofits from 12 Appalachian states on how to overcome operational and management challenges during the COVID crisis. This specialized technical assistance uses a collaborative cohort learning model where nonprofits will be clustered into small groups to effectively provide customized coaching, productive peer-to-peer exchanges, and focused networking to navigate shared challenges associated with the COVID crisis.   

“The Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center is a unique, innovative partnership, providing guidance for nonprofits to sustain operations and continue doing the important work for the communities they serve,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “Nonprofits play a critical role in community and economic development efforts, and we are proud to provide this assistance to this deserving group of Appalachian organizations.”

Program development for the Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center was informed by discussions and focus groups with regional nonprofit leaders, and an internal survey of select ARC grantees which found that nonprofits were especially concerned about short-term and long-term financial health of their organizations during the COVID crisis.

The Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center is managed in partnership between ARC and Hargrove International, a Georgia-based consulting firm specializing in strategic planning, nonprofit management, and asset-based economic development. With more than 30 years of experience, the firm has worked on numerous projects with the Appalachian Regional Commission, as well as several state and federal agencies, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Geographic Society, and The Conservation Fund. 

Since the COVID crisis began, ARC has been meeting regional demand by providing emergency access to capital for small businesses, investing in expanding broadband capabilities in rural communities, and supporting Appalachia’s manufacturers to quickly pivot into producing needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  More information about ARC’s response to the COVID crisis is available at arc.gov/coronavirus.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.