Salamanca, NY – Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board has announced a schedule of general information sessions about the process to apply for grant funding through Appalachian Regional Commission’s Area Development Program. The sessions are free and do not require registration. The information will relate for potential applicants who are seeking funding for project activities that will begin sometime in 2019 and that will take place in Allegany, Cattaraugus or Chautauqua Counties. Eligible applicants municipal governments within the three-county region and non-for-profit entities within the region or that have programs and services in the three-county area.

Topics covered at the information sessions include an overview of the ARC Area Development grant program and Southern Tier West’s role in administering the program, funding priorities and investment strategies, application timeline, and details related to developing an eligible project and a strong grant proposal. Information session dates and locations:

The ARC Area Development Program annually supports local projects, with grants up to $150,000 each, that demonstrate positive impacts in the areas of economic opportunities, ready workforce, critical infrastructure, natural and cultural assets, and leadership and community capacity. Appalachian Regional Commission works in partnership with New York State Department of State and Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board to select local project applications that meet shared objectives and strategies contained in a variety of regional planning and strategy documents.  Appalachian Regional Commission funding is available to the 14 counties in New York State that are within the federally designated geography defined as Appalachia. Southern Tier West is the local administrative agency for the ARC Area Development Program in Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua Counties and works closely with local project sponsors in the development of eligible projects and the grant applications.

The grant information sessions will provide general program information only and are not meant to be provide detailed instruction in project or grant development. All applicants will be required to schedule an individual meeting with STW staff to review all components of the grant application and to determine project eligibility. It is strongly suggested that local interested applicants start their project development and grant preparation process as soon as possible, even prior to the general information sessions and arrange the required individual meeting with Kimberly LaMendola, STW’s Regional Development Coordinator and ARC Grant Manager: klamendola@southerntierwest.org or 716-945-5301 x2211. The deadline for the pre-proposal is June 1, 2018. Workshop flier is available here: http://www.southerntierwest.org/pdf/2018/ARCFY2019_flier.pdf