Kentucky Highlands

The footprint of the Kentucky Highlands Community Network encompasses the heart of eastern Kentucky. The work in Rural Partners Network builds on the eight years of collective impact, placemaking work in Bell, Clay, Harlan, Knox, Leslie, Letcher, Perry, and Whitley Counties through the Kentucky Promise Zone. The terrain and the people of the region are intertwined in a rich tapestry of cultural and natural resources. The land is a rugged, mountainous area that is covered by forests and rolling mountain streams. The region has a long history of providing the coal resources that fueled the industrial revolution’s need for power and steel production. The communities that wind up and down mountains and alongside streams and rivers were planted in direct connection to the coal mining industry. The area drew a wide variety of settlers into the mountains to create a rich cultural melting-pot of music, food and traditions that are unique to the Appalachian mountains.

The coal industry has declined in production in the region since the 1980s, which has resulted in increasingly negative economic impacts. The coal economy did not produce a lasting economic prosperity for communities. The 2020 census shows a population decline for these eight counties of over 10,000, disrupting property values, tax bases, and community stability. The Kentucky Promise Zone has identified over a billion dollars of investment announced for these counties, but that falls short of the billion dollars a year lost in direct and indirect coal mining jobs. The tenacity of the leaders in the region is unsurpassed. The region is vested with non-profit entities and local governments who are committed to garnering bold investments and have tenacious commitment for restorative economic strategies. These communities are committed to community-driven solutions that can bolster policy development for the area and bring much needed resources to the region.