ACT Now is also one of 50 organizations involved in the ReUse corridor , a project that works to recycle materials such as metals , wood , cardboard and textiles that are on their way to becoming landfill . Through two projects — the Black Diamond Warehouse and the Just Transition Climate and Equity Nexus for Transformative Economic Revitalization , or CENTER — the ReUse corridor is currently establishing brick and mortar locations that will house these recycling efforts in rural , coal-impacted towns .
“ This initiative taps back into the roots of our Appalachian ingenuity while simultaneously mitigating pollution and generating economic and employment opportunities ,” Hannah says .
When deciding what projects to support , ACT Now offers an open application to community teams that , if chosen , take part in a 15-month community planning and engagement process . During that process , applicants and their local teams receive a visit from WVCDH staff who tour their communities , listen to their ideas and provide them with information on the program .
In total , 16 communities are picked for this program based on the diversity of their geography , team and interests . Stephanie Tyree , executive director for the WVCDH , points out the extensive support projects receive throughout the 15-month process .
“ Once selected , communities participate in a cohort community planning program that includes monthly in-person meetings , quarterly cohort meetings and significant time with dozens of resources and technical assistance providers to support them in their project development and planning process ,” Tyree says .
ACT Now funds these projects through a $ 62.8 million grant from the U . S . Economic Development Administration ( EDA ), which private philanthropy matches by about $ 30 million . The funding is designated only for the eight projects the coalition is currently supporting .
ACT Now was one of 21 coalitions nationwide that was chosen to receive EDA funding and was the only one led by community-based nonprofit organizations . This means that the coalition was running on an insufficient budget before winning the grant . However , it now faces a new challenge in growing its organizational capacity to meet the requirements of the newer , larger projects it is able to take on with its current funding .
“ The EDA award is a remarkable injection of resources and support into this momentum , but we are seeing already the scope of need and emerging opportunities that will need significant public and private investment to continue growing in the future ,” Tyree says .
She explains that ACT Now is currently seeking funding that will allow it to continue its work at the end of the four-year EDA grant .
Despite any restrictions or funding challenges , ACT Now has certainly advanced upon its goal of changing the Mountain State ’ s economic landscape . Dennison explains that the coalition has trained more than 500 workers in
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