A collaborative effort, Indiana County Thrives, between two Indiana-based organizations, has been chosen as one of 10 community-based groups invited to join a nationwide grant program aimed at “bolstering equity, economic resilience, entrepreneurship, and workforce development in the front line communities hardest hit by the transition away from fossil fuels.”
In a news release announcing the collaborative effort between The Center for Community Growth and W.H.O.L.E Unity Inc., Indiana County Commissioner Sherene Hess said a grant being sought from the Just Transition Fund’s “Coal Communities, Get Ready!” program will open a new chapter in the county’s community revitalization.
According to its website, the Just Transition Fund was established in spring 2015 by the Rockefeller Family Fund and the Appalachia Funders Network with the support of six other foundation partners: Blue Moon Fund, and the Chorus, Hewlett, JPB, Mary Reynolds Babcock and Mertz Gilmore foundations.
Fund organizers said it initially was created to help local organizations secure funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s POWER (Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization) initiative, the first federal program targeted to communities impacted by a changing coal economy.
In the process, fund organizers said, they helped jump-start the engagement of national philanthropy and showcased the innovative, ground-up ways that local communities are working to revitalize their local economies.
“We are rich with assets, including strong institutions like (Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Indiana Regional Medical Center), a labor force with a generation’s strong work ethic, and an award-winning outdoor recreation network,” said Hess, who also co-chairs The Center for Community Growth.
That organization was the driving force behind the Indiana County Sustainable Economic Development Task Force, formed in 2017, which has held six annual summits, the most recent in October 2023 at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.
Hess said the task force was ahead of its time, drawing attention to inevitable transitions through a six-year documentary series, establishing the Food Bucks program that gave SNAP (food stamp) recipients access to the Indiana County Farmers Market, and hosting an informative public safety podcast during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The center also was a driving force behind establishment of the Indiana County Advisory Council of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, which had 19 members when the state agency approved it at a September 2020 meeting.
“With an unwavering commitment to advancing social, racial, economic, LGBTQIA+, and environmental justice, it champions the cause of a more inclusive and vibrant community experience,” Hess said in a news release issued Friday.
The partners in this effort include W.H.O.L.E. Unity (Wellness, Hope, Opportunities, Love, Embracing Unity) Inc., a non-profit organization founded by Quintina Thomas, who was elected last fall to the Indiana Area School District’s board of directors.
On its website, her organization states that “our mission is to free resources to minorities and address disparities in predominantly White areas. We strive to create a platform that promotes diversity and inclusivity, where people from all walks of life are welcomed and embraced.”
In their news release, Indiana County Thrives organizers said W.H.O.L.E. Unity Inc. serves as the fiscal sponsor and a crucial partner in championing diversity and equity within the scope of the initiative.
With a commitment to fostering community well-being, the organizers said, W.H.O.L.E Unity actively sponsors programs designed to encourage entrepreneurship and provide support for local businesses in Indiana, and plays a pivotal role in bridging cultural gaps, engaging in partnerships with county human services agencies, and collaborating with various organizations to enhance the overall welfare of the community.
Two other key personnel in this new effort are a former Indiana Borough councilman and the Homer City native who succeeded him.
“We’ve had economic transition in our sights for over a decade,” said former Indiana Borough Councilman Gerald Smith, founder of the Center for Community Growth. “Indiana (County) Thrives aims to amplify the work of organizations like the Indiana County Sustainable Economic Development Task Force, and other local groups.”
Smith went on to say that Indiana County Thrives will soon seek out local groups that are willing to work alongside an emerging group of state, federal, philanthropic and international actors that support community-focused and place-based strategies.
“This is such an exciting time of opportunities for communities to forge new economic circumstances and to reshape the area’s energy economy,” said Indiana Borough Councilman Jonathan Smith, who is serving as Indiana County Thrives program coordinator. “The energy transition, making it work for our local communities, is personal for me. At least three generations of my family worked within the coal and natural gas industries. Some still do. By all working together, we can capitalize on these historic investments before they pass us by.”
While the grant they are seeking “will open a new chapter in community revitalization of our county,” Hess said, “there just isn’t enough knowledge, staff, or time for our smaller municipalities and organizations to capitalize on the unprecedented investment opportunities earmarked for communities just like ours.”
She said the initiative announced this weekend seeks to build that missing local capacity and create opportunities for economic diversification through two pathways:
• Community-Led Economic Development. Hess said the first aspect of the Indiana County Thrives initiative focuses on empowering communities surrounding shuttered and existing fossil fuel-powered generating stations. She said it will facilitate community member collaboration that establishes innovative pathways for more resilient and inclusive economies.
She also said the initiative doesn’t stop at mere brainstorming; it actively seeks out the technical assistance, partnerships, and funding to turn these plans into reality.
• New Energy Economy Workforce Development. On the other front, the organizers said, the project addresses the need for a skilled workforce in the emerging new energy economy. By engaging with local educational institutions and vocational programs, Indiana County Thrives aims to equip these institutions with the necessary tools and resources to succeed in areas such as energy efficiency, solar panel installation, energy audits, the latest building codes, and high-performance building standards. Indiana County is lucky to have existing, successful programs.
They said the opportunities lie in using that expertise to enhance the quality of education, build partnerships, and develop programs that reduce utility costs.
