Neighborhood Strategies Selected to Lead Belmont County ACG Program

April 7, 2023 – St. Clairsville, Ohio

Neighborhood Strategies, a New Concord, Ohio, based community building organization, has been selected as the project manager for the Appalachian Community Grant (ACG) program in Belmont County.  The project manager is responsible for coordinating activities that will lead to the development of a grant application this fall.  

The ACG is a $500 million program that provides planning and development grants for communities in Ohio’s 32-county Appalachian region. Program funds are provided by Ohio’s designation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and are administered by the Governor’s Office of Appalachia within the Ohio Department of Development.  

“We are excited to partner with Neighborhood Strategies on this important project. They bring a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact this initiative will have on our local communities,” said Larry Merry, Executive Director of the Belmont County Port Authority.

Projects supported through the ACG should be designed to bring about transformational change and be a catalyst for future development by providing generational investments in the Appalachian region.

“We understand how important it is for communities across Appalachia to have access to resources that can help improve their quality of life and create opportunities for their residents," said Jim Lenner, President and CEO of Neighborhood Strategies. "We look forward to working with local leaders throughout Belmont County to identify projects that will bring lasting change and make an impact in our region."  

The final development application is expected to be submitted to the state of Ohio in December 2023. Work began in late March 2023. Throughout this time, Neighborhood Strategies will coordinate with local stakeholders in Belmont County to develop the best possible plan for achieving shared outcomes that result in positive transformation and future investment in the region.

Contact:
Larry Merry                                                    Jim Lenner
Executive Director                                       President and CEO
Belmont County Port Authority                  Neighborhood Strategies
Larry.Merry@co.belmont.oh.us                  jim@neighborhoodstrategies.co