Posted on: 06/29/2022
The 500-million-dollar plan to invest in Ohio's Appalachian communities was officially signed into law yesterday. State Representative Jay Edwards called it a historic opportunity for Southeast Ohio. The plan is part of house bill 377. The goal of the 500 million dollars is to invest in sustainable, transformational projects in the Appalachian region of Ohio.
The bill also directs the Department of Development to prioritize awarding grants for projects that have region-wide scale or impact as well as those that are evidence based and include a public-private partnership and are economically sustainable and will prove transformative to the region.
Washington County Commissioner Charlie Schilling said recently that the county is planning implementation. Representative Edwards says the legislation will help move our region forward with school funding reform, investments in economic and workforce development and securing state support for local projects in the region.
According to Governor Mike DeWine's Office, the grant process will be administered by the Governor's Office of Appalachia within the Ohio Department of Development. Funding will be available through multiple planning and development application rounds until all funds have been awarded.
