Invest Appalachia Fund
The Invest Appalachia Fund provides loans and technical assistance to support sectors and industries that are driving economic diversification, local ownership, and community wealth building in Central Appalachia.
Priority Sectors include:
- Clean Energy - Renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean manufacturing, abandoned mine land reclamation, energy democracy, and green buildings
- Community Health - Healthcare providers and access, affordable housing, education, childcare, built environment, behavioral health, and other social determinants of health
- Creative Placemaking - Downtown revitalization, commercial real estate, public spaces, community infrastructure, asset-based tourism, recreation, and arts/culture
- Food and Agriculture - Local food systems, small farms, value-added business, healthy food access, aggregation/distribution infrastructure, local retail, non-timber forest products, and farmland conservation
The Fund is designed to be used in conjunction with other forms of community investment. Most investments will be made in partnership with place-based lenders and funders such as CDFIs, loan funds, community foundations, and other community-based investors.
Eligible borrowers/projects must be:
- Located in or serving people in the Central Appalachian region (Appalachian counties of Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio)
- Working to create positive social, environmental, and economic impacts for communities in the region
- Align with one of the priority sectors
- Be financially viable
Investments typically range between $100,000 - $2,500,000, have terms of 6 months to 7 years, and vary in interest rate and repayment structure. Investments may support fixed assets, equipment, real estate, facilities, construction, working capital, project finance, and relending.
Types of capital include:
- Customized flexible and patient loans for projects and enterprises
- Loans to intermediaries and participation loans
- Credit enhancements such as loan guarantees, equity-like grants, technical assistance grants, and targeted coordination grants
Begin the process by submitting an online project intake form.
For complete information about funding programs, including your
application status, please contact funders directly. Summaries are provided
for your convenience only. RHIhub does not take part in application processes
or monitor application status.