UC Clermont receives $50K grant from Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER Initiative

The University of Cincinnati Clermont College was awarded a $50,000 planning grant for Adapting to Change: Powering Up Tomorrow’s Workforce by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

The grant will allow UC Clermont to form a three-county regional consortium in Adams, Brown and Clermont counties to leverage existing resources into a coordinated regional training and employment program in supply chain and logistics. The focus of the grant will be on displaced workers from the region’s coal power plants.  

Adapting to Change: Powering Up Tomorrow’s Workforce Grant community partners:

• UC Clermont (lead agency)
• Brown & Clermont Adult Career Campuses, a joint program serving local adult education needs through Grant Career Center in Clermont County and Southern Hills Career and Technical Center in Brown County
• Grant Career Center
• Adams County Economic and Community Development
• Brown County Department of Economic Development
• Clermont County Department of Community and Economic Development

“UC Clermont is proud to lead a regional consortium in developing plans for retraining displaced coal workers for logistics and supply chain jobs that are expanding in our area,” said UC Clermont Dean Jeffrey Bauer.  

This award is part of a nearly $46.4 million package supporting 57 projects across 184 coal-impacted counties through ARC’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) Initiative. POWER targets federal resources to communities affected by job losses in coal mining, coal power plant operations and coal-related supply chain industries.

“The downturn of the coal industry has impacted economies across Appalachia. That’s why ARC’s POWER initiative helps to leverage regional partnerships and collaborations to support efforts to create a more vibrant economic future for coal-impacted communities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “Many of the projects we announced today will invest in educating and training the Appalachian workforce, nurturing entrepreneurship and supporting infrastructure — including broadband access. These investments in our Appalachian coal-impacted communities are critical in leveling the economic playing field so our communities can thrive.”

Since POWER launched in 2015, ARC has invested more than $287.8 million in 362 projects across 353 coal-impacted counties. The nearly $46.4 million awarded today is projected to create/retain over 9,187 jobs, attract nearly $519.5 million in leveraged private investments, and be matched by $59.2 million in additional public and private funds across the region.  

ARC is working with Chamberlin/Dunn LLC, a third-party research firm, to closely monitor, analyze and evaluate these investments. A new report, published today in conjunction with the announcement, found that projects funded through POWER grants met or exceeded targets for jobs retained and/or created, businesses created, workers trained and revenues increased. Chamberlin/Dunn is continuing to monitor POWER investments and make recommendations to ARC for ongoing programmatic efficiencies.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development partnership 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.

About UC Clermont College
The University of Cincinnati Clermont College is located in the center of Clermont County on 91 beautiful wooded acres in Batavia Township. The college is an accredited, open-access institution offering more than 50 programs and degrees. UC Clermont is part of the nationally recognized University of Cincinnati. For more information, call 513-732-5200 or visit www.ucclermont.edu.