Rep. McNally announces $5,030,815 in Appalachian Community Innovation Centers Program funding for Mahoning County Career and Technical Center
COLUMBUS – State Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) today announced the awarding of $5,030,815 in Appalachian Community Innovation Centers Program funding for Mahoning County Career and Technical Center.
“This is a great step in the right direction for Mahoning County and the Appalachian Region,” said Rep. McNally. “Mahoning County is an area that will continue to grow if we keep advocating for more investment and I am excited to see the progress we will make moving forward.”
The Appalachian Community Innovation Centers Program, funded by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act enacted in the first months of the Biden Administration, provides $88 million for initiatives that meet the needs of full-service centers in Appalachian Ohio for public education, community health services, and career development, making an unprecedented investment into the historically underdeveloped Appalachian region of Ohio, creating a more expansive and expedited approach to enhancing educational opportunities, workforce participation, and health outcomes. An eligible project includes three types of new construction or renovation projects for facilities and/or campuses, which must include the components of education, health monitoring, and work. The $5,030,815 for the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center will fund the construction of a new 12,000-square-foot building housing new teaching labs and classrooms, a new healthcare facility, and more healthcare-related educational programs.
Opening in February 2024, eligible applicants included one or more K-12 districts, joint vocational school districts, regional councils of government, or other political subdivisions located in the 32 Ohio Appalachian counties. Recipients are required to have their projects reach substantial completion with all funds expended by December 31, 2026. To reach substantial completion, a project must fulfill the primary operations of providing services to end-users.