DUNGANNON – A photograph of Franklin Delano Roosevelt looked across the audience at the Dungannon Depot Tuesday as Robert Kell told residents that a federal grant to help plan town improvements is gone.
Kell, a community project manager for Appalachian Voices’ New Economy Network, has been working with Dungannon and four other Southwest Virginia communities to build support for catalyst projects to spur community development.
In Dungannon’s case, Tuesday was supposed to be the third meeting since 2024 to narrow residents’ focus down to doable, fundable projects to improve community life and attract visitors. The $500,000 Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Grant was supposed to help all five communities set development priorities, come up with project designs and seek additional grants for construction.
“That funding has been discontinued,” Kell told the group, adding that Appalachian Voices will be seeking an appeal of the EPA funding cut.
“It’s another world,” said Kell. “The current administration has its priorities.”
Residents participating in an August 2024 meeting under the grant program had already identified a central town priority – developing the Dungannon Depot into a resiliency center.
The resiliency center concept would have given the Depot improved facilities as a community center and as an emergency shelter with wi-fi, kitchen, refrigeration and showers in case of disasters such as hurricane Helene.
Residents in August had also identified a playground, improved multi-use basketball court, shade trees and acquisition of a plot of land next to the Depot for green space or recreation use.
With Trump administration cuts across several funding agencies, Kell said, funding sources for such projects have become more limited.
The Appalachian Voices/EPA grant was designed to give communities technical support in identifying and finalizing projects, Kell told the audience of 17. The communities would then take the lead in applying for funds – with Appalachian Voices’ help – and seeing those projects to completion.
Kell said his organization is still focusing on technical support – it is working with a design firm to develop options for the Depot along with options to include solar power and battery storage for the resiliency center function. Finding funds for what had been estimated to be a $347,000 undertaking, however, may not be possible with federal funding cuts.
The cuts are affecting other Appalachian Voices projects, Kell added. The organization had been awarded an Environmental Defense Fund grant that could have helped with
Dungannon and other communities, but the grant is funded through EPA funds and has been paused.
Other federal funding sources are also paused and their status uncertain, Kell said.
Other private sector or non-governmental organization funders are looking at projects that have been finalized, Kell said, and funding typically is in the $10,000 range for a project.
Kell recommended that Dungannon residents consider forming an independent community non-profit group to find ways to fund projects.
“The original depot renovation was funded by a community group, the Dungannon Women’s Club,” resident Beth Bingman said.