ARC and NEA Announce Winners of Grant Competition to Promote Gateway Communities

August 2008


 

WASHINGTON, August 7, 2008—The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) this week announced the winners of a grant competition to promote natural and cultural heritage tourism development in Appalachia's "gateway communities"—communities that border national and state parks and forests.

The competition, called the Appalachian Gateway Initiative: Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism Development, is part of ARC's effort to promote asset-based economic development in Appalachia and include the arts in tourism development projects. ARC contributed $100,000 and the NEA contributed $30,000 to the competition.

Thirty-five proposals requesting $450,000 in grant funds were submitted by communities and organizations located in nine Appalachian states. The following were selected to receive grants:

Training and technical assistance for the winning applicants will be provided by the Conservation Fund and the National Trust for Historic Preservation Heritage Tourism Program.

For additional information on the above projects or on the Appalachian Gateway Initiative, contact Molly Theobald at the Appalachian Regional Commission at (202) 884-7767 or at mtheobald@arc.gov.