ARC Awards $464,000 to the Friends of Southwest Virginia

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded $464,000 to the Friends of Southwest Virginia in order to fund planning services, a paid staff position, and two partner conferences in an effort to develop high-quality projects in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Southwest Virginia, and Appalachia as a whole, have so much to offer, with both extensive natural beauty and rich culture. This grant from ARC will help the Friends of Southwest Virginia develop a host of projects that make the most of the unique characteristics of our region.”

According to the Friends of Southwest Virginia, their mission is to preserve, promote and present the cultural and natural assets of Southwest Virginia; to work in partnership in the region to generate economic development through these efforts; to provide educational and cultural opportunities for the general public and students of the region, and; to showcase the cultural assets of Southwest Virginia at the SWVA Cultural Center & Marketplace (formerly Heartwood).