Refresh Appalachia is a program of Coalfield Development focused on developing, shaping, and supporting agriculture and Central Appalachia's food system.

This program has 4 main objectives:

Expand agricultural knowledge, understanding, and opportunity through paid on-the-job training experiences.
Strengthen and develop the agricultural sector through creative and collaborative partnerships and projects.
Promote and facilitate aggregation and distribution for agricultural producers.
Explore, experiment, and implement innovative and regenerative agriculture practices on degraded lands.

Significant 2024 Milestones

Business Builder Subawards

This year marked the first rollout of the Appalachia Regional Food Business Center’s Business Builder Subawards, awarding $3 million per cycle to farmers and food businesses across the region. To learn more about the ARFBC, click here.

Learn More About ARFBC

Personal Milestones

In 2024, team member Carlos Berry graduated from the workforce training program, was named Coalfield Champion, and became the new Assistant Crew Chief for Refresh Appalachia.

Farm to School

After joining the team in late 2023, team member Lydia Cyrus established the foundation for our Farm to School initiative, with over 6,000 students engaged just in 2024.

New Funding

In 2024, we were awarded two major grants: an ARC POWER grant for over $1.3 million in collaboration with 8 partners to strengthen the agriculture workforce in Appalachia; and the USDA FNS Patrick Leahy Grant, in collaboration with Rural Action, to expand Farm to School development in the region.

Regional Impact

This year, we engaged 6,000 students, trained over 200 individuals, and brought in more than $5 million in agricultural investment to Appalachia.

Appalachia Regional Food Business Center (ARFBC)

Refresh Appalachia is a proud Partner and Certified Technical Assistance Provider (C-TAP) of the ARFBC. The ARFBC supports a more resilient and competitive food system throughout all of Appalachia. The Center supports farm and food producers by providing:

localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains
technical assistance needed to access new markets
for small- and mid-sized producers, support in overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers and food businesses
Business Builder Subaward grants

With a long-standing commitment to the farms and food businesses in the region, the ARFBC works to foster a food economy that benefits business owners, stakeholders, and consumers throughout the entire region.

For more information about the ARFBC and Business Builder Grants, click below to learn more.

For support in completing your Business Builder Grant application, reach out to Shelly Keeney, our Regional Food Coordinator: keeney(at)coalfield-development.org.

Supporting Appalachia:

How to Get Involved:

Donate

Consider making a tax-deductible donation to Coalfield Development with the subject "Refresh Appalachia" to support our ongoing work.

Sign up for our email list to receive general updates on trainings and opportunities by emailing us at Refresh(at)coalfield-development.org

Some of our Partners:

Visit us on Facebook:

Keep up with Refresh Appalachia on social media! See the latest news, updates, and what our crew is up to over on our Facebook page.

Refresh Appalachia is a program of Coalfield Development focused on developing, shaping, and supporting agriculture and Central Appalachia's food system.

This program has 4 main objectives:

Significant 2024 Milestones

Business Builder Subawards

Personal Milestones

Farm to School

New Funding

Regional Impact

Appalachia Regional Food Business Center (ARFBC)

Supporting Appalachia:

How to Get Involved:

Follow Us

Donate

Newsletter

Some of our Partners:

Visit us on Facebook:

Support Coalfield Development in rebuilding the Appalachian economy.

Incubating and Investing in Employment-Based Social Enterprises

Facilitating Professional, Personal, and Academic Development for People Facing Barriers to Employment

Leading and Collaborating on Community-Based Revitalization Projects

Designing And Scaling New Programs In Emerging Sectors

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