UCDD Receives $100,000 Appalachian Regional Commission Grant

A new $100,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant will add a Grant Coordinator for the Upper Cumberland.

UCDD Deputy Director Tommy Lee said part of the grant will fund costs of one recently hired staff member for a two-year period. Lee said assisting with federal funding in small counties and cities was essential.

“Most of our rural counties can not afford upgrades to infrastructure, parks and recreation, things of that nature, with money from their general fund,” Lee said. “They need something to supplement that.”

Lee said the recent influx of American Recovery Plan Act money is being used for many essential improvements like water infrastructure. He said UCDD was there to help with knowledge on grant guidelines, deadlines, and dealing with general project coordination to use the funds.

Lee said the additional staffing provided through will help small counties and cities to successfully make their way through all the intricacies.

“These grants that make these improvements within our communities have guidelines that basically say if you don’t spend this money the way you’re supposed to, then you’ll have to pay it back,” Lee said.

Lee said UCDD’s job as grant administrators and community development planners is to understand those guidelines and take that burden on themselves.

“It can be very difficult to interpret,” Lee said. “So that’s where we come in. We do that sort of thing on a day to day basis.”

Lee said the entire community development team will be assisting many communities throughout the region with administration of the ARPA funds.