Shaping Our Appalachian Region connects people with the resources, skills, and partnerships they need to succeed in today’s workforce. Through practical support, community-driven solutions, and bold collaboration, we are creating reliable pathways to employment and working toward a shared goal of helping 15,000 Eastern Kentuckians secure meaningful, family-supporting jobs by 2035.
Shaping Our Appalachian Region works alongside employers, educators, nonprofits, local leaders, and communities to create opportunities that strengthen Eastern Kentucky. Thanks to the support of our partners, funders, and collaborators, we connect talent to careers, entrepreneurs to resources, and communities to innovative solutions that expand opportunity. Together, we’re helping more Eastern Kentuckians build meaningful careers while creating a stronger, more prosperous region for generations to come.
The results below reflect SOAR’s impact during Fiscal Year 2026. Together, these outcomes demonstrate how our programs are creating opportunity, strengthening communities, and connecting more Eastern Kentuckians to meaningful work. While each initiative serves a unique purpose, every success contributes to our shared mission of building a stronger Eastern Kentucky.
I look forward to our next hiring event and am grateful to partner with a group that shares my core values: that all people matter, and that there is real fulfillment in helping someone find meaningful work.
Eastern Kentucky gave our family the beauty, community, and purpose we were looking for. The SOAR program made every step of the move easier, guiding us with care and confidence.
Jessica and the Eastern Kentucky Talent Network were great to work with and made me feel more confident and more comfortable when trying to find a job during a very stressful time in my life! Luckily, I was able to find a job at the local hospital where I live.
I came into SOAR’s Founders Weekend excited to share my idea, but I didn’t expect to find so many meaningful partnerships with other founders. I walked away with a clearer path to investment and real momentum… I can’t recommend the experience enough.
Eastern Kentucky is a hidden gem. Thanks to the SOAR program, our move was seamless — and now we’re enjoying small-town charm, local events, and the beauty of our new community.
Framatome’s involvement and interactions with SOAR have been nothing short of spectacular! SOAR’s experienced leadership, led by Joshua Ball and Jessica Barry, and personnel have helped create an amazing partnership that has opened the door for the wonderful people of Eastern Kentucky.
Through SOAR Innovation’s 1:1 coaching, networking, brainstorming, and relationship building, Sunflower Fuels has gained access to candidates for employment, prospective investors, and prospective customers. Thanks to SOAR Innovation’s support, I’ve not only strengthened my startup’s foundation but also expanded my network in ways I never imagined.
Thanks to SOAR and the EKY Talent Network for connecting me with a job opportunity with Framatome. It’s been lifechanging.
Corbin gave us the views, space, and community we dreamed of. With SOAR’s help, we found the perfect home base for our foster kennel and a place to build Samson’s Legacy.
You don’t see many events like this in Appalachia… it’s the kind of quality you’d expect on the coast. Having something this strong right here is both rare and exciting.
Every number tells a story of progress. The following highlights showcase Fiscal Year 2026 results from each of SOAR’s major programs, reflecting the collective impact of our partners, supporters, employers, educators, and communities working together to create more opportunities across Eastern Kentucky.
Empowering People. Transforming Lives.
EKY Runway provides personalized coaching, workforce training, and support services that help individuals overcome barriers to employment and achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency. Through an individualized approach, participants gain the skills, confidence, and connections needed to build meaningful careers and stronger futures. This program is funded through an EDA Recompete Grant and serves 12 Southeastern Kentucky counties and we have placed individuals in jobs in all of our EDA counties!
Making hiring easier for businesses and job searching more effective for individuals.
The EKY Talent Network serves as Eastern Kentucky’s workforce connector, bringing employers and job seekers together through personalized talent matching, customized assessments, hiring events, and direct employer engagement. Whether a business is looking for qualified talent or an individual is searching for meaningful employment, we simplify the process by creating connections that lead to lasting employment outcomes and a stronger regional workforce.
Attracting Talent. Growing Communities.
EKY Remote helps attract remote workers and their families to Eastern Kentucky, creating new economic activity, strengthening communities, and reversing population decline. The program connects qualified professionals with welcoming communities while showcasing the region’s unmatched quality of life, affordability, and outdoor recreation.
Helping Entrepreneurs Build What’s Next
SOAR Innovation is one of six KY Innovation Hubs funded through the Cabinet for Economic Development. The program supports entrepreneurs and startups across Eastern Kentucky by providing coaching, accelerator programs, technical assistance, mentorship, and connections to capital. By helping innovators launch and grow businesses, SOAR Innovation is creating new companies, new jobs, and a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem for the region.
From the mountains of the Cumberland Plateau to the communities lining the Ohio River, SOAR is creating opportunities across all 54 Appalachian Kentucky counties. By working alongside employers, educators, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, local governments, and community partners, we’re helping strengthen the people and places that make Eastern Kentucky home.
through workforce development and employer partnerships.
by attracting new residents and supporting local leaders.
by helping entrepreneurs launch and expand across the region.
Presented by Appalachian Wireless and the Appalachian Regional Commission, the SOAR Summit brings together local changemakers to strengthen Eastern Kentucky through collaboration and shared ideas. In 2025, the Summit welcomed more than 1,700 attendees representing 30 states, 75 Kentucky communities, 56 Kentucky counties, and 32 Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Kentucky counties.
Every success story starts with a connection. Through workforce development, entrepreneurship, population growth, regional collaboration, and community support, SOAR creates opportunities that help people, businesses, and communities thrive across Eastern Kentucky.
Helping employers hire and helping job seekers find meaningful careers.
Helping founders launch businesses, create jobs, and grow the economy.
Helping communities attract new residents and new investment.
Bringing leaders together to solve challenges and create opportunities.