The Center for Rural Development’s Community Oriented Access to Learning (COAL) provides funding support for unemployed or underemployed individuals who have been impacted by the decline of coal to receive education and training in select coal-impacted Kentucky counties.

What is COAL?

The Center for Rural Development’s COAL program will assist unemployed and underemployed individuals from select coal-impacted counties to obtain training and education that will support them in finding gainful employment within our region in specific areas of study. Additionally, this program will benefit employers within our region by developing a more skilled workforce to meet growing workforce demands.

Who is eligible?

The COAL program seeks to train individuals from 14 Kentucky coal-impacted counties who are unemployed or underemployed and are interested in obtaining training or education in the areas of allied health, information technology, broadband-related fields and soft skills.
Which counties will be served

Through this program, The Center for Rural Development will serve 14 counties that have suffered direct or indirect impacts due to the decline of coal. The counties that will be served are: Bell, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Leslie, Letcher, McCreary, Perry, Pulaski, and Whitley.

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Developing and Implementing Community Strategies Program (ARC)

Since 2005, The Center for Rural Development’s Developing and Implementing Community Strategies Program (Flex-E Grant) has presented more than $750,000 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) federal funding support to communities across Southern and Eastern Kentucky.

The funds, awarded in the form of ARC Flex-E Grants, can be used for projects which might include but are not limited to the successful creation of a strategic plan, implementation of a project from an existing strategic plan, training for local leaders or consultant services to assess feasibility or support development of a project. All projects must be completed within a six-month period.

Counties eligible to apply for ARC funding support through The Center include: Bath, Bell, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Powell, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe. Cities within those counties may also apply.