Connect Appalachia Technical Assistance

CREC’s role

The Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) supports local partners in building recovery-to-work ecosystems across the six Connect Appalachia states. State anchors recruit and support businesses statewide. CREC works with the local partners who engage employers, deliver services, and coordinate the resources that workers and businesses need for the Recovery Friendly Workplace certification to take hold.

Over the past five years, working through the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA) and with funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission, CREC supported regions across Appalachia in developing these ecosystems and produced the Recovery-to-Work Ecosystem Builder’s Guide. Connect Appalachia continues that work.

What we provide

Each year, CREC works with two local ecosystem builders per state. Your state partner helps identify which regions and which forms of assistance to prioritize. The menu below shows what you can draw on.

Training and capacity building

• Builder’s Guide training for regions within your state
• Industry engagement and employer outreach, including Recovery Friendly Workplace certification and the Caring Workplaces model
• Setting up and monitoring recovery-friendly workplace certifications
• Coaching and office hours on industry engagement and ecosystem development
• Project development and sustainability support, including funder matchmaking
• Engaging state agencies and supporting policy development

Facilitation and coordination

• Regional ecosystem goal-setting and action planning sessions
• Cross-regional meetings between your region and partners elsewhere
• Sessions to develop an employer engagement strategy

Research, analysis, and subject-matter expertise

• Regional ecosystem mapping: partner inventory, stakeholder analysis, and gaps in business engagement and workforce development
• Regional industry analysis: industries and occupations to target for Recovery Friendly Workplace efforts

Beyond one-on-one support

Connect Appalachia participants also have access to resources that span the region. CREC hosts a webinar series on topics relevant to recovery-to-work practitioners, convenes in-person peer meetings where ecosystem builders share tools and approaches across states, and continues to expand the Recovery-to-Work Ecosystem Builder’s Guide with case studies, activities, and templates.

Check out the Webinar Series by clicking here!

Getting started

To talk through which forms of assistance fit your region, reach out to your CREC state lead. They will scope the work with you and coordinate with your state anchor.