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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) recently announced Envision Appalachia: Community Conversations for ARC’s Strategic Plan, a series of public input sessions to identify critical opportunities and challenges facing Appalachia’s economic future. Using insights gathered from these public sessions, coupled with guidance from regional, state and local partners, ARC will develop a strategic plan for fiscal years 2021-25. Sessions will be held at:

• Huntsville, Alabama on Aril 8

• Ashland, Kentucky on April 16

• Youngstown, Ohio on April 22

• Abingdon, Virginia on April 30

Each session, which is organized in conjunction with ARC’s state partner, will run from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m., is open to the public and free to attend. Pre-registration is required and can be completed at www.arc.gov/strategicplan. In addition to these public events, ARC is also collecting input via a public survey.

“As we plan ARC’s investment strategy for the years to come, it is important that we be informed by the people we serve,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “These public input sessions for the next ARC Strategic Plan will provide Appalachian communities the opportunity to have a voice in this process, and I encourage the people of Appalachia to take part in one of these sessions.”

ARC develops and issues a new strategic plan every five years in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). More than 3,000 Appalachians provided input to inform ARC’s current strategic plan, which expires on September 30, 2020—the final day of fiscal year 2020.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.