Ohio Department of Development | Governor's Office of Appalachia

The Governor’s Office of Appalachia partners with companies, government entities, and nonprofit organizations throughout the Appalachian Region to promote the development of Appalachian Ohio. The Governor’s Office of Appalachia coordinates with these groups to administer funds, advocate on behalf of the region, and improve the quality of life for all citizens living in Appalachian Ohio.

Ohio Department of Development
The Governor’s Office of Appalachia is proud to reside in the Ohio Department of Development. The Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and meaningful, targeted investments.

Working with partners across business, government, educational, and nonprofit sectors, the Department is changing the trajectory of Ohio's economy by purposefully redesigning the business climate, increasing the global competitiveness of Ohio's businesses, and fostering prosperity for all Ohioans.

The Ohio Department of Development matches the grant funding the Governor’s Office of Appalachia receives from the Appalachian Regional Commission. This funding allows the Governor’s Office of Appalachia to double the amount of fiscal support it provides the region.

The Ohio Department of Development also supports the Appalachian region by being the principal funding organization of the Enterprise Appalachia Initiative, supporting tourism, and providing access to programs in the region.

Finally, the Department has a variety of different representatives in the Appalachian Region. Four economic development districts are located in the region, three of which also serve as the regional representatives. To learn more about the regional representatives for Appalachian Ohio, click here.

Below is a list of partner programs within the Ohio Department of Development.

Enterprise Appalachia

Enterprise Appalachia provides reliable, accurate information to investors interested in Appalachian Ohio. Enterprise Appalachia recognizes Appalachian Ohio as the perfect balance between investment and critical resources, and strives to ensure that the region is strategically positioned for entrepreneurial growth.

The Office of Housing and Community Partnerships

The Office of Housing and Community Partnerships provides financial and technical assistance to local governments and nonprofit organizations in Ohio for project activities benefiting low- and moderate-income citizens.

Workforce and Talent

The Workforce and Talent Division of the Ohio Department of Development showcases the Department’s commitment to meeting the employment needs of Ohio’s workforce and businesses. The Workforce and Talent Division focuses on supporting Ohio’s nearly 6 million workers by partnering with Ohio's institutions of higher learning and connecting with Ohio’s economic development and workforce development resources at the state, regional, and local levels.

Strategic Business Investment

The Strategic Business Investment Division of the Ohio Department of Development supports the well being of Ohio’s citizens by providing business owners and communities with the information and support they need to make informed, critical decisions that directly impact Ohio’s economy and environment for business growth. The Strategic Business Investment used Ohio's outstanding economic development toolbox to encourage major private investments. The strategy has paid off for Ohio, with the state recently named as the top location in the nation for business investments by Site Selection magazine for the fourth consecutive year.

The Ohio Film Office

The Ohio Film Office leverages on behalf of Ohio in the film industry. The Office is part of the Ohio Department of Development and strives to ensure that Ohio has a film-friendly environment that will attract Motion Picture investment in the state.

Below is a list of other Governor’s Office of Appalachia partners.

Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS)

The Ohio Department of Jobs and family Services is a state agency in Ohio offering a wide variety of assistance, such as unemployment compensation and health care, to help Ohio families in need.

Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education

The Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education (OACHE) is a partnership organization of the public higher education institutions and K-12 schools in the 32 Appalachian counties of Ohio. The Center was created by the State of Ohio in 1993 to increase the low educational attainment of the region’s citizens. It pursues this mission through a variety of initiatives, such as the Access Project grant and the Educational Assistance Program.

Corporation for Appalachian Development

The Corporation for Appalachian Development (COAD) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to representing residents of Appalachian Ohio and improving their quality of life. COAD is comprised of seventeen Community Action Agencies that serve a 30 county area. COAD has three major program divisions: Community Development, Early Care and Education, and Senior Programs.

The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs

The Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs (GVS) at Ohio University is a multi-disciplinary school comprised of faculty and professional staff members who work with students on projects with businesses, non-profit organizations, other colleges and academic units, and government partners. These projects are designed to solve problems and meet the needs of Appalachian Ohio and the state.

OSU Extension

The OSU Extension works to interpret information and research from the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center so that Ohioans can use the scientific-based information to better their lives, businesses, and communities. The OSU Extension works to develop educational programs for citizens and communities in four areas: family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development, community development, and agriculture and natural resources.

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio

The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio works to enrich the current and future quality of life in the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio by fostering access to opportunity. The Foundation’s goals are to attract private and public contributions for programs and endowments, award grants for charitable and civic purposes, and provide and promote leadership for collaborations in local and regional initiatives.

Ohio’s Appalachian Country (OAC)

Ohio’s Appalachian Country is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting tourism opportunities in Appalachian Ohio. The OAC focuses on gathering and providing information for tourist activities in the region in order to foster the economic development of Appalachian Ohio.

Regional Economic Development Directors (REDDs)

Appalachian Ohio is served by Regions 5,7,10, 11, and 12.

Interactive Map of Ohio Regions to view contact information

Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP)

The Rural Community Assistance Program is a national service-delivery network that works toward four outcomes in small, rural communities:

Improved environmental and community health
State and federal compliant utilities
Sustainable water and waste-disposal systems
Increased capability of local leaders to address current and future needs.

Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA)

The Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) was created by the Ohio General Assembly to issue water development and solid waste revenue bonds and notes. OWDA operates financing programs to provide loans to Ohio communities for the construction of water and sewage treatment facilities. Qualified communities are eligible to apply for planning and construction loans to develop and expand potable water sources and facilities, sewage treatment and collection systems, and storm water separation projects. In addition to providing financial assistance, OWDA monitors and responds to the needs of local government agencies and facilitates statewide cooperation and innovation for environmental infrastructure financing.

Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure Group (SCEIG)

The Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure Group (SCEIG) was formed in 1990 by state, federal, local, educational, and service agencies that provide regulatory, technical, financial, and educational assistance for environmental infrastructure projects. These agencies recognized a need to coordinate efforts to assist small governments with the difficult task of developing, improving, and maintaining water and wastewater systems. The SCEIG helps small communities identify the most appropriate resources to resolve problems and has compiled documents, publications, and internet resources to provide information about financing, installation, repair, and expansion of environmental infrastructure.

Appalachian Environmental Infrastructure Strategy Work Group (AEISW)

In addition to the general body of the Small Communities Environmental Infrastructure Group, its four committees address the most pressing needs of small communities. The committees are: Finance, Training, Decentralized Wastewater Working Group, and Appalachian Environmental Infrastructure Strategy Work Group (AEISW). The AEISW committee works to improve the delivery of technical and financial assistance to the areas in Ohio Appalachia most in need of wastewater and water infrastructure improvements.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD)

U.S.D.A. Rural Development is committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in rural America. U.S.D.A. Rural Development programs support public facilities such as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities, and electric and telephone service.

The Ohio Board of Regents

The Ohio Board of Regents is a nine-member advisory board created to lead, advocate, and coordinate the process of ongoing transformation of higher education to maximize accessible education for all Ohioans. It is the responsibility of the Ohio Board of Regents to develop an annual report on the Condition of Higher Education in Ohio, issue an annual performance review of the chancellor, and advise the chancellor on issues of statewide importance affecting higher education.