COLUMBUS, Ohio - Communities in Trumbull, Mahoning, and Columbiana along with 29 other counties in Ohio could benefit from a new $500 million program.

Funding for the Appalachian Community Grant Program was approved by legislators and signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine.

On Thursday, the Governor's Office of Appalachia released detailed guidelines for the program, including project requirements, eligibility, and the timeline for awards.

The program will support transformational projects in Ohio's Appalachian communities that focus on infrastructure development, physical and behavioral health, and workforce development, according to the governor’s office.

As part of this program, up to $30 million will support project planning and technical assistance, and the remaining $470 million will be awarded to implement development projects.

Guidelines for the grant program were developed in coordination with members of the legislature and numerous stakeholders.

“The great thing about this program is it empowers local leaders to get creative and craft plans that will drive real, meaningful change at the grassroots level,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development.

The Governor’s Office of Appalachia, which is part of the Ohio Department of Development, will begin accepting grant applications on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022.

The Governor’s Office of Appalachia will host a webinar at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, to present the guidelines in detail and allow interested parties to ask questions.

Program information and full guidelines can be found at development.ohio.gov/AppalachianCommunityGrant.