New White Paper: Clean Energy Investment In Appalachia

CLEAN energy development in Appalachia is an important part of the REGION’S transition to a more just, sustainable, and resilient economy. Investment is a major barrier to an otherwise promising solar sector. What can be done? This white paper examines the current barriers to investment and proposes a focus on “catalytic capital” to unlock more solar investment in the region and accelerate the clean energy sector in Appalachia.

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A Messaging Toolkit for Talking About Clean Energy in Appalachia

The future of clean energy in Appalachia depends in large part on collective buy-in from diverse parties – from state regulators and local community members, to utilities and workforce development networks. Advocates are in need of a common language and message that resonates across the board and unifies these vested interests behind clean energy. To that end, CAN’s Clean Energy Practitioner Network commissioned the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TNAEBC) to develop a best-practices guide to clean energy advocacy.

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Healthy Food Access in Central Appalachia – Case Studies of Community-Based Innovations

The joint Food & Ag Systems Working Group between CAN and the Appalachia Funders Network worked together to conduct and publish six case studies of projects at the intersection of food access and health. Several members of the Funders Network funded the work to document and highlight lessons from innovative projects around the region, and CAN […]

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New Policy Toolkit for Expanding Central Appalachia’s Energy Leadership in the 21st Century

Central Appalachia’s emerging clean energy economy has potential benefits for economic development, job creation, community resilience, and sustainability. Yet, the policy context at the state, local, and regulatory level is critically important to this emerging market. This policy analysis toolkit from the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) looks at the region’s policy landscape and provides a set of recommendations and priorities to guide future policy change and advocacy efforts in Appalachia.

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Regional Food Security Data Scan

Authored by the Appalachian Foodshed Project for CAN and the Food & Ag Systems Working Group of the Appalachia Funders Network, this report provides state-level data snapshots related to food, agriculture, poverty, and health of the Central Appalachian region and suggests approaches to creating and utilizing data as a means of understanding and addressing food, […]

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Briefing Paper: “Cross-Sector Collaboration in the Small Business Support Ecosystem”

In December 2014, CAN partnered with the WV Alliance for Economic Inclusion to host a Small Business Trainers Workshop in Charleston, WV. Building on a series of learning calls between entrepreneurship support actors, this 1-day strategy session brought together banks, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), non-profit organizations, business incubators, community groups, investors, USDA, US Small Business Administration, […]

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Red Mantra Convening Report: “Building a Thriving Regional Agricultural Economy in the Rural South and Central Appalachia”

In August 2013, the Red Mantra Group brought CAN members and other local food system developers and supporters together with a diverse group of corporate buyer representative. Executives from Whole Foods, Wal-Mart, Kroger, Nestle, CH Robinson, Harris Teeter, and others sat down to discuss the obstacles to a thriving regional food economy, particularly the challenges […]

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Branding Study for Appalachian Food Economies

CAN partnered with the MIT Keeping Wealth Local Clinic to produce this exciting report on place-based branding strategies for food systems. The report includes an overview of branding theory, a series of case studies of place-based food brands from within Central Appalachian and outside of the region, and an analysis of lessons learned and recommendations […]

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Chesterhill Produce Auction: A Case Study

In this publication, rural Action and the Voinovich School at Ohio University chronicle the story of the Chesterhill Produce Auction in this case study. Tom Redfern from Rural Action explains the produce auction is part of a larger sustainable agriculture picture. “It keeps the farmer on the land; it keeps local people working; it keeps […]

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Healthy Food Systems: A Toolkit for Building Value Chains

This publication from 2009 profiles the work of CAN member Appalachian Sustainable Development and their Appalachian Harvest food hub as a case study of local food value chain development. In this toolkit, ASD shares experiences and lessons from Appalachian Harvest and other value chain initiatives. It’s designed to help new and emerging value chain efforts and […]

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Strategies for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (2005)

Entrepreneurship is a vital part of the economic revitalization of the Appalachian region. In this publication, CAN offers examples of sustainable enterprises across the region, discusses the policies and investments needed to support enterprises like these, and explores the importance of networks and regional catalysts in advancing a culture of sustainable entrepreneurship. Click here to […]

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