Helping Communities Shine

Whether researching and implementing ways to shape a community's economic development plan or partnering to create ways to put people to work, CREC connects researchers and policymakers with:

• Data training
• Custom portfolios that aid regional competitiveness

Project Profile

Developing Regional Ecosystems to Support Recovery-to-Work

Appalachian Regional Commission
Start Date: Nov 2019 — End Date: Apr 2021

CREC provided technical assistance and generated lessons learned from the experience in local development districts (LDDs) in how to help businesses and individuals succeed in their recovery from substance abuse disorder. Providing staff support to the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA), CREC assisted four LDDs through a year-long process of articulating the challenge, identifying ecosystem partners, engaging with them, building momentum toward successful examples, and identifying the resources required to build a sustainable ecosystem. CREC provided access to expertise, coaching, and recognition while also documenting the process for other LDDs in Appalachia about how to build a long-standing ecosystem designed to help area residents move from recovery to work.

About the Client

Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president. Local participation is provided through multi-county local development districts.