A couple of interesting press releases have hit my email inbox recently concerning economic development opportunities. I thought I’d use my column space this week to help get the word out, and hopefully inspire some of our local entrepreneurs to follow up and see if these initiatives can help them bring their business plans to life.
First, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has announced that it is seeking applicants for its Appalachian Regional Initiative for Strong Economies (ARISE) program. This program presents potential funding opportunities that “aim to drive large-scale, regional economic transformation through collaborative projects.”
Specifically, ARISE seeks to empower projects that involve at least two Appalachian states. Since we live in borderland here in Whitley County, I thought that might appeal to at least a few folks in the local area.
There are a few key dates coming up for the ARISE application process. Those dates include:
- Sept. 25 – Application process webinar
- Oct. 28 – Multi-state project development webinar
- Dec. 5 – Pre-applications due
- May 15, 2026 – If invited, full grant applications due
- Summer 2026 – Awards announced
For more information, go online to www.arc.gov. If you end up applying, feel free to let us know here at the paper so that we can follow up on your progress!
Another press release that I received recently is from Invest 606, which is a group that we have had multiple stories on in the past.
This latest exciting announcement is all about how Invest 606 is expanding to further its mission of helping small business growth in the region. The group plans to achieve this goal using a three-pronged approach – Launch 606, Accelerate 606 and Fund 606. These are all pretty self-explanatory, but the idea here is to utilize a new model that will “help the initiative establish, grow, and financially support local businesses by addressing the significant barriers to accessing capital.”
Launch 606 will focus on new or aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to launch new ideas, Accelerate 606 will focus on supporting established businesses that are looking to begin the process of increasing their growth potential, and Fund 606 will seek to support businesses that are already well into the growth phase.
Learn more about Invest 606’s new initiative by visiting them online at www.invest606.org.
Finally, since we are talking economic development, I noticed over the weekend that Corbin Economic Development Executive Director Bruce Carpenter shared a post from the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Corbin Facebook account that showed how the inside of some of the guest rooms are shaping up.
Photos in the post included a sneak peek at a kitchenette area, a bathroom, a couple of beds, and a sitting area with a new chair, footrest, lamp and wall decorations. I just wanted to take this opportunity to once again say that this facility is going to be super-nice when complete, and I cannot wait to go in and check it out for myself.
FYI, if you’re looking for a job I think that the hotel is still accepting applications for certain positions. Head over to their Facebook to find the link where you can view openings and submit your information.
