The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) released Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia, a suite of new research reports and resources to support entrepreneurial development in Appalachia. The research includes three reports which outline core elements necessary for a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem, analyze community case studies to provide insight into the unique challenges faced by communities in Appalachia, and offer recommendations to support future economic development across the Region.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia was conducted in partnership with EntreWorks Consulting, the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness, and the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship. Today’s announcement was made at the Olean Business Development Corp in New York’s Cattaraugus County, one of the community case studies profiled in the research.

Investing in entrepreneurial and business development strategies that strengthen Appalachia’s economy is one of ARC’s five investment goals as outlined in the Commission’s current Strategic Plan. In FY 2017, ARC invested over $37 million in entrepreneurial-related activities which helped create or retain over 4,500 jobs and created or improved more than 3,000 businesses across the Region.

Read more from the announcement HERE.