ARC Announces Winners of Grant Competition to Promote Tourism Development

June 2007


 

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2007—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." These communities border national and state parks, wildlife refuges, forests, historic sites, wilderness areas, and other public lands.

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 $50,000, and the NEA contributed $30,000, to the competition.

Thirty-six proposals requesting $390,000 in grant funds were submitted by communities and organizations located in eight Appalachian states. The following applicants 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 about the above projects or the Appalachian Gateway Initiative, please contact Kristin Peppel at the Conservation Fund at (828) 232-6834 or Molly Theobald at the Appalachian Regional Commission at (202) 884-7767.