Appalachian Ohio Regional Investment Coalition

The Appalachian Ohio Regional Investment Coalition (AORIC) is a coalition of the region’s leaders and organizations committed to achieving a better social and economic future for the 32-county region. The organizational capabilities among its members represent a full array of community-building skills and years of direct experience in the design, delivery, and evaluation of programs and projects that promote self-help and reliance. The collaboration springs from a deeply shared appreciation of Appalachian Ohio’s many assets and a strong, mutual commitment to place-based, more sustainable forms of economic development.

The Coalition has initially focused on sectors in which the region possesses significant assets and market advantage: Value-added field and forest products and experiential tourist, including:

Heritage and cultural tourism, including the visual and performing arts, festivals, historic places, and production of handmade objects;
Outdoor and recreational enterprises;
Specialty foods; and,
Non-timber forest products, horticultural and agricultural enterprises.