Submit a Project

Tell Us About Your Project

Share key details about your idea, organization, and community impact so we can better understand your project and how it aligns with Invest Appalachia’s mission.

Staff reviews each submission and will notify you with 2-4 weeks if your project is eligible for IA support.

Questions Before You Complete This Application?

If you have any questions after reviewing our Getting Started page and FAQs, our Intake Specialist is happy to connect with you!

Email Us a Question

Read This First: How Our Application Form Works

Please take time to review the full form before beginning, as some fields require information you may not have on hand.

If you need to save and resume later, there is a link at the bottom of the form to do so.

Please note that:

Any attachments will NOT carry through.
VPN’s, private browsers, and email filters may affect your receipt of the link to resume your work. If this happens to you, please contact mae[at]investappalachia.org.

Tips for a Successful Application

If you’re unable to complete at least 75% of this form, your project is probably not yet ready for repayable investment through Invest Appalachia.
Connect with a Technical Assistance (TA) provider to strengthen your investment materials. A list of resource providers is available here.
If your project is still in the planning or visioning phase, grant funding may be a better fit right now. If you believe your project is close to being ready, go ahead and complete the form — our team can recommend TA or other support to help you move forward.

Begin Your Application

Eligibility Screening

Is your project based in and/or does your project primarily serve the Appalachian Counties of at least one of the following states: Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia? *

Does your project have demonstrated support from the community it will serve/be based in? *

Will the primary economic benefits of your project go to the local community in which the project is located (e.g. the project is locally owned, provides living wage jobs, builds locally-owned assets, etc)? *

Are you primarily looking for repayable investment (e.g this is NOT a proposal for grant funding)? *

If you answered “NO” to any of the above, your project is likely not a good fit for IA funding. You are still welcome to continue with this submission of this form. We will review all submissions and invite applications from eligible and mission-aligned projects.

Contact

Name of the person submitting this form *

First

Last

Email of the person submitting this form *

Phone number of the person submitting this form *

Please select the option that most applies to your (the submitter's) relationship to this project *

Business/Organization

Legal name of the company/organization sponsoring/hosting the project *

Address of the company/organization *

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Year business or organization founded (format: YYYY) *

Website of the sponsoring/hosting business/organization *

Project

Project name or descriptive title *

Approximate address of the proposed project (may differ from address listed above) *

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip Code

Please use the approximate address that shows up when you locate the project on Google Maps. This location will only be used for our internal project distribution and service area data tracking - no mail will be sent here. Depending on the project, this may not necessarily be the location of the business or organization's offices. It may be the business' storefront location, the site of the project's new construction, the headquarters of a service organization, the center of a market area served by a digital service, etc.

Describe the project. Who does it serve and what will it accomplish? *

List any other organizations, agencies, businesses, partners, etc. that have been involved in the project so far and a few words about their role. *

Community & Impact

Describe how the community has demonstrated support for the project (e.g. community engagement process, local economic development plan, or other local guidance or input on the proposed project). *

How will the project build community wealth or serve community needs (e.g. quality jobs, community amenities, needed goods or services, etc.)? *

Does the project specifically support or serve any disadvantaged individuals or groups? If yes, who? *

Does the project advance community resilience to climate change or weather-related events? Does the project reduce or displace greenhouse gas emissions (e.g. through improved energy efficiency, sustainable building materials/practices, building weatherization, renewable energy generation, green transportation, regenerative agriculture/forestry, etc.)? If yes, how? *

Do the project and organization hosting the project agree to not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, ability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or other classes protected by federal, state, or local civil rights protections. *

Impact Metrics

Projected number of jobs this project will help create *

0 is an acceptable answer

Projected number of jobs this project will help retain *

0 is an acceptable answer

Projected number of end users impacted *

Describe how you define the metrics noted above and how you plan to measure them. Also note if you plan on tracking any additional metrics (e.g. number of affordable housing units developed, cost savings, businesses served, square feet improved, etc.). *

Market

What is the product or service that the project is offering/will offer (e.g. housing, food, textiles, health care, commercial real estate, renewable energy, household credit, etc.)? *

Who is the target audience or market? *

Please describe the area this project will serve, listing, at minimum, the states and counties. *

What is the expected source of revenue to repay the investment in this project (e.g. rent, sales, reimbursement, re-sale, etc.)? *

Describe the main competitors and/or risk factors for this project. *

Implementation

How do you plan to launch and/or grow the project? Share major milestones and timelines for project phases. *

Describe the leadership team behind the project. Who are they and why are they qualified? *

Financials

What was the total revenue over the last 12 calendar months for the project, or the business/organization sponsoring the project?

What is the projected annual revenue for the project/business, and when is it expected to start generating revenue?

Use N/A if not relevant.

If the project involves the purchase of real estate, an existing business, equipment, or inventory, what is the estimated value of these assets?

If there are additional sources of collateral that could be available to secure a loan, please list them and their estimated value.

Financing

Total project cost (include committed and needed funds for the whole project or phase of business) *

This amount should represent the cost of the entire project - not just what you are requesting from Invest Appalachia.

Amount requested from Invest Appalachia *

Please note that IA typically does not fully finance a project alone, but may seek other financing partners if you do not already have them identified. You are encouraged to also seek other financing options.

Select the option that most closely describes the status of the project *

List other funders/lenders/investors you have spoken with about this project. Indicate whether each committed funds, is considering committing funds, or has denied funds to the project (this helps us ensure we are filling gaps). *

If you have committed funding, describe the amount and terms of that funding (e.g. grant terms, equity, loan rate & term, etc.). *

Describe what you hope to use IA funding for (e.g. Bridge loan to permanent funding, working capital for business/project, real estate or business acquisition, re-lending capital, construction loan, support for preparing for additional investment, etc.). *

If you know what financing terms you need, please describe them (e.g. Interest rate, amortization, repayment structure, maturity, etc.). *

Do you expect that the project will require some form of credit enhancement to secure repayable financing (e.g. loan guarantee, interest rate buy-down, unsecured bridge financing, etc.)? *

Materials Upload - Essential for Loan Consideration

These documents are typically required for loan consideration. If you do not submit them here, you will likely be required to submit them later in order to proceed with a loan application.

Most Recent Financials - Income Statement and Balance Sheet