Collaboration in transforming the region: Appalachia Forward Conference for Regional Development

The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service at Ohio University hosted the third annual Appalachia Forward Conference on Sept. 27, at Belmont College in St. Clairsville, Ohio

Focused on driving transformative change in the Appalachian region, the conference was organized by the Voinovich School in collaboration with various regional partners, including the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, Buckeye Hills Regional Council, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association and the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission. The event was designed to facilitate discussions on planning, funding, and transformative initiatives in Appalachian Ohio communities.

The conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including local elected officials, development experts, state and federal officials and community leaders. This gathering was a testament to the commitment to the region's growth and prosperity.

Amista Lipot, director of external relations and executive director of the Mayors' Partnership for Progress at the Voinovich School, set the tone for the event, giving inspiring words to those in attendance, emphasizing the need for innovative thinking and collaboration to better the tomorrow of Appalachia. 

Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, Gayle Manchin, federal co-chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission, and Brian Anderson, executive director of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization through the Department of Energy (IWG), highlighted the exciting investments underway to uplift Appalachia. These included announcements of several large funding opportunities coming to the region and the transformative impacts that these funds could have for the future. Anderson also announced the creation of a federal government rapid response team to create a “one door” approach for state and local leaders to connect with numerous federal agencies and resources in a more efficient and collaborative manner. 

Panel discussion focuses on federal agencies and economic development

The first panel, moderated by Briggs White, the deputy executive director of IWG, delved into federal agencies and their capabilities in aiding development with the resources available to communities. Jonathan McCracken, the USDA state director for Ohio, Jon Grosshans, senior advisor for the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Policy and Ellen Heinz, the Economic Development Administration’s economic development representative for Ohio, all gave excellent insights into their agencies and the potential of the region regarding coal and power plant community economic revitalization. This led to a speed networking roundtable event in which attendees got to pitch their projects and ideas with various agencies from IWG.

“The way that the federal government is funded by Congress doesn’t always align with the kind of visions the communities have for economic redevelopment projects, so the rapid response team can work and will work directly with the community leaders here in Appalachian Ohio to take the project and identify what type of federal funding is available,” said Brian Anderson, executive director of the Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization through the Department of Energy. This demonstrates the importance of the implementation of a rapid response team, one of the key items discussed at the conference.

Craig Buerstatte, deputy assistant secretary for Regional Affairs with the U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, said his focus is building capacity in communities for economic prosperity. Buerstatte stated, “We do that through strategic grant-making,” adding that this involves bringing together the public and private sectors to design projects and initiatives to create jobs. He said the rapid response team will be a valuable tool.

“Economic development is a team sport," Buerstatte said.

Grant awardees present their insights 

The first afternoon panel afforded the attendees an opportunity to hear lessons learned from awardees of implementation grants during the first round of the Appalachian Community Grants Program and thoughts on how applicants could get ready for the next round of submissions.

Steve Patterson, mayor of the city of Athens, opened the discussion with commentary on how to better work opportunities in Appalachia and suggestions for administering large grants. Jessie Powers, executive director for the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia (ORCA) gave remarks about how ORCA is utilizing sustainable outdoor recreation assets and providing social, environmental and health benefits to communities and their residents. Jennifer Siefert, executive director of the Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program and New Leaf Justice Enterprises, discussed how to better support survivors in a community by providing holistic, necessary resources and support for healing trauma.

The panel closed with remarks from the superintendent of the Utica Shale Academy, William Watson, discussing the importance of innovative education in propelling Appalachia forward, including responding to employers’ and industries' current, emerging and changing global workforce needs and expectations through business/school partnerships.

Next, Matt Trainer, senior GIS project manager at the Voinovich School, announced an exciting GIS collaborative project with the Local Development Districts and the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress, in which the GIS team is working to provide data resources to benefit the greater region.

The Appalachian GIS Collaborative initiative is meant to be a comprehensive approach to developing a sustainable, cost-effective and long-lasting GIS data-sharing model that promotes collaboration, reduces redundancies, and ensures efficient management and use of GIS data. The approach involves capacity building, training, fostering a collaborative structure and implementing a sustainability plan to achieve these goals.

Local Development Districts highlighted in final session of the day

The final panel of the day was focused on Local Development Districts and the resources they have available to assist with community development.

This session, moderated by John Carey, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, provided excellent information on how the Local Development Districts can assist and the world of opportunities that awaits.

John Hemmings, executive director of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission, also provided insight into the ARC Regional Development program. In addition, Jeannette Wierzbicki, executive director of the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association, highlighted the ARC POWER funding opportunity, Kathy Zook, ARC program manager of Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, showcased the ARC INSPIRE funding, and Buckeye Hills Regional Council Executive Director Chasity Schmelzenbach provided insights on the ARC ARISE program.

The conference not only illuminated the available funding avenues but also underscored the significance of teamwork, a regional perspective and cultivating relationships. It provided a platform for participants to glean insights from one another and acknowledge the combined influence they possess in fostering the region's advancement and prosperity.

As the conference drew to a close, Lipot reaffirmed the Voinovich School's unwavering dedication to serving the region and its communities. She stressed the critical role of equipping local governments with essential resources, tools and connections to capitalize on the monumental opportunity at hand.

The conference marked a significant milestone, bringing together committed individuals and organizations bound by a collective mission to rejuvenate and elevate the Appalachian region.