ARC Opportunities

Each year, County Planning Departments and Southern Tier 8 staff help applicants develop their ARC applications & provide grantees with project development, grant training, partnership development and advocacy efforts.  Southern Tier 8's FY2026 ARC Area Development Grant Cycle is NOW OPEN! JOIN US for the Launch of our Area Development Funding Program!

Application Steps:

1. Review the Training Materials: Overview of the Program Webinar (4/4 at 10am) & Q&A with Collaborative Partnerships (4/7) Q&A with Budgets (4/9) & Q&A with Performance Measures (4/14) & Q&A with Sustainability (4/17).

2. Review the FEDERAL ARC Strategic Plan & STATE NY Program Strategies & LOCAL CEDS to see how your new (or expanding) project supports ARC’s Investment Goals.

3. Talk to your County Planning Director about the project & get a letter of alignment from the Director!

4. Complete the Pre-Application HERE Before 3pm on April 28, 2025!

Upon completing the pre-application, grantees will be notified by May 19^th with an invitation to submit a full application before June 12, 2025.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state and local government. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president. New York State Department of State serves as the state partner for this federal investment opportunity. Local participation is provided through multi-county local development districts (LDDs). Southern Tier 8 is the Region’s Local Development District for the 8 counties of  Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Tioga and Tompkins.

ARC invests in projects that support their current investment goals.

Goal 1: Building Appalachian Businesses
Strengthen and diversify the Region's economy through inclusive economic development strategies and investments in entrepreneurship and business development. 

Goal 2: Building Appalachia's Workforce Ecosystem
Expand and strengthen community systems (education, healthcare, housing, childcare, and others) that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career parthway. 

Goal 3: Building Appalachia's Infrastructure
Ensure that the residents and businesses of Appalachia have access to reliable, affordable, resilient, and engery efficient utilities and infrastructure in order to successsfully live and work in the Region. 

Goal 4: Building Regional Culture and Tourism
Strengthen Appalachia’s community and economic development potential by perserving and investing in the Region's local cultural heritage and natural assets. (NOTE: ARC may have limited 2023 investments in this goal area).

Goal 5: Building Community Leaders and Capacity
Invest in the capacity of local leaders, organizations, and communities to address local challenges by providing technical assistance and support to access resources, engage partners, identify strategies and tactics, and conduct effective planning and project execution.