CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Aug. 5, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The Just Transition Fund (JTF), the only
national philanthropic initiative focused solely on coal community
economic transition, is pleased to announce support through its
Federal Access Center for two of the six winners of Economic
Development Administration (EDA)'s Distressed Area Recompete Pilot
Program. The JTF supported winning applications led by Shaping Our
Appalachian Region (SOAR) of Pikeville,
KY and Wind River Development Fund of Wind River Indian
Reservation, WY.
The Recompete Pilot Program is investing $184 million in distressed areas of the country
to support community-driven economic and workforce development
solutions, including good-paying jobs to close the prime age
employment gap.
"There is no single silver bullet when it comes to diversifying
an economy," said Heidi Binko,
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the JTF. "EDA, through
the Recompete Pilot Program, understands this complexity and
developed an innovative and comprehensive approach to empower
communities to strengthen their economies by investing in various
sectors and solutions."
The Eastern Kentucky Runway Recompete Plan, led by SOAR, won the
highest award of $40 million and
supports the construction of two new healthcare training
facilities, creates a social enterprise accelerator supporting
business formation, and establishes a collaborative support network
for 12 of the most coal-impacted counties in Appalachian
Kentucky.
"This investment is a game-changer for Eastern Kentucky, an area of the country that
has suffered from the decline of its dominant industry," said
Colby Hall, Executive Director of
SOAR. "The funding provided through Recompete will help us grow our
economy, encourage entrepreneurship, and create a better quality of
life for our residents."
Wind River Development Fund was awarded the second highest award
at $36 million for the Wind River
Indigenous-based Economy Recompete Plan, emphasizing a holistic,
Indigenous led approach to addressing the prime-age employment gap
by leveraging existing resources and strengthening Native
sovereignty while creating an equitable economy based on Indigenous
values.
"Securing this funding marks a significant milestone for the
communities on the Wind River Indian Reservation," said
Paul F. Huberty, Executive Director
of the Wind River Development Fund. "Persistent poverty and other
barriers have kept communities and businesses from creating jobs.
We proposed unique solutions that will strengthen Native
sovereignty while creating a new economic engine in the region. We
are so happy that the EDA heard our story and that they are
partnering with us on this new path forward."
More than 200 applicants submitted proposals for Phase 1, and 22
finalists were selected for Phase 2. The JTF supported five of the
22 finalists and two were selected as winners. The JTF provided
SOAR with $370,000 to support
matching funds and cover application development costs and provided
Wind River Development Fund with $100,000 to cover application development
costs.
As a hybrid initiative - part grantmaker, part catalyst - the
JTF supports locally led initiatives that empower coal-dependent
communities to navigate complex transitions and promote
sustainable, equitable, and low-carbon solutions for a resilient
future. Through its Federal Access Center, the JTF helps coal
communities overcome barriers to accessing historic amounts of
federal funding to strengthen and diversify local economies.
About the Just Transition Fund
The Just Transition
Fund (JTF) launched in 2015 to help communities secure funding
through the Obama administration's POWER Initiative, the first
federal program aimed at helping communities impacted by the
changing coal economy. The JTF has since evolved its approach to
catalyze and support the national just transition movement more
broadly, while helping more communities tap into an expanding
number of federal funding opportunities. The JTF has developed a
proven approach utilizing complementary grantmaking, technical
assistance, and field-strengthening strategies, all of which are
informed by a belief that the most sustainable solutions come from
local leaders and are built from the ground up.
For more information, visit justtransitionfund.org or
follow on X and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, on behalf of Just
Transition Fund