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Building a New Economy, Together.
Updated: 1 week 3 days ago

Downtown Hazard’s New Barber on Main Street

Tue, 03/12/2024 - 06:19

Like many young people, Jade Teague of Hazard, Kentucky, was pushed into going to college for a four-year degree.

Jade Teague cutting hair while in school.

“The message was ‘go to college or you’re not going to amount to anything.’ So I did and I wound up in a job that I hated for years,” Jade said. “I am the type of person who wants everyone to be happy and this was a job where I could not make people happy. But now, I can.”

Jade Teague recently opened the doors to Queen City Barber Shop, located on downtown Hazard’s Main Street. Though he’d always been cutting hair – known for his “front porch specials” in high school – he only recently decided it was his true calling.

A few years ago, he came home from the job he hated and talked to his wife about his vision to go to barber school. With her support and the encouragement of others in the community, he spent almost a year driving every day to Campbellsville University, almost two hours away, to get his license. He then started at Karma Spa in Combs, just outside of Hazard, for two years.

Kayla Holbrook, the spa owner, encouraged Jade to start his own location. Another local business owner, Joey McKinney of Appalachian Apparel, was also a big motivator and supporter.

Ribbon cutting at the new shop in downtown Hazard

“All these folks helped convince me to chase after my dreams. I wish I had done this a lot sooner, but all the pieces came together so well.”

The space Queen City Barber Shop is in is owned by a person whose hair Jade had been cutting. Recently renovated as the first location for Hazard Coffee Company when it was getting its start, it turned out to be perfect for a one-person barber set-up. The shop is located just off Main Street on Taxi Alley, named for the time there was a cab company.

“It’s a dream come true to be here. I always wanted to work on Main Street. People tell me there was a barber shop on main street for many years, and I’m honored to be the one to bring it back.”

Mountain Association is proud to support Jade with flexible business financing for the new location.

“It’s rewarding to work with folks like Jade who are turning to entrepreneurship to ‘find their place.’ It’s obvious when you talk to Jade that he is excited about his work and happy in the life he’s building,” Les Roll, Special Projects Manager at the Mountain Association said. “Plus, it’s a great haircut.” 

Queen City Barber Shop is one of several new businesses to establish themselves in downtown Hazard in the last few years.

“Downtown revitalization has been a focus for Hazard. It’s about making places for people,” Les added. “Being able to walk down the street to buy a book, grab a cup of coffee, have lunch, (and now) get a haircut, speaks to quality of life which is essential for a community to thrive.”

Jade cuts hair for people of all ages and he welcomes children with special needs. Follow along: https://www.instagram.com/jade_the_barber_626/

Shaping Clay & Community: Turtle Farm Pottery

Mon, 03/11/2024 - 07:38

Nearly one million people visit the geologic wonders of the Red River Gorge in Eastern Kentucky every year. Its cliffs, arches and rock shelters were shaped over millions of years by the elements of nature. These features are truly awe inspiring. Naturally, the area is home to many artists inspired by the landscape.

Potter Casey Papendieck, originally from Oregon, has called the area home for more than 15 years, drawn to it of all the places he and his wife saw in years of drifting all around the US. In 2015, from their Wolfe County homestead, Casey and his wife, Laura Gregory, founded Turtle Farm Pottery where they create unique ceramic pieces that reflect the landscape, cryptids and critters of the Gorge.

From Big Foot to whimsical frogs and mischievous possums, there’s always something fresh coming out of their studio in the woods, especially given their collaborations with other local potters.

“The Gorge is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. We settled here because we want to live a simple life, growing big gardens and living with nature” Casey said. “Now, we get to share this gift of this place through our pottery. People tell us how they love starting their day with their Turtle Farm mug. It makes us happy to be invited into people’s homes in this way – all around the country.”

Casey & Laura enjoying the Gorge’s plentiful streams. Laura is the Watershed Program Director at Kentucky Waterways Alliance. In addition to their other endeavors, Casey and Laura also have a band, the Handshake Deals!

A graduate of Berea College’s ceramics program, Casey started seriously into the pottery business about 6-7 years ago, just as more and more people began to discover the Red River Gorge. Working alongside Laura and other local potters over the years, Turtle Farm Pottery has grown from selling in a few local shops to having their own gallery space in Pine Ridge with another studio location on the way in Campton, both unique small towns within the Gorge. Though they ship nationally, Casey says their pottery is so popular locally that it disappears from their gallery shelves as fast as they can make it.

To support this rapid growth, Casey recognized that they needed a more robust website, social media, and to find other operation efficiencies.

“I had zero experience with growth – I’ve always been a hustler, but then to grow a business into multiple locations and multiple employees, I knew I needed some support,” he said. “And after doing this for several years, I’m starting to trust myself as the driver behind this business’ success and its contributions to the local community, and I’m now wanting to invest in myself more.”

So, in 2023, he applied to Mountain Association’s Business Support program to work one-on-one with Andy Salmons of Field Guide Digital, a fellow entrepreneur from Corbin, Kentucky. Together, they built an enhanced website to sell Turtle Farm’s more than 50 varieties of ceramics from honey pots to bowls. They also developed a social media and email marketing strategy that works for Casey and the crew.

“It seems like an online presence would be really easy to build, but it’s actually this big complex package that requires a bunch of skills and knowledge to translate into sales. Andy not only helped us set it all up, but he taught us a lot and helped us strategize.”

This coming year, Casey said they are focused on opening up their Campton studio space in a historic building downtown. They plan to eventually offer small workshops and events. Follow along the journey here: https://www.turtlefarmpottery.com/

How Trauma & Financial History Can Impact Aspiring Business Owners

Thu, 02/15/2024 - 08:00

As a small business lender, Mountain Association staff often talk with aspiring business owners about their financial history. Conversations sometimes evolve into discussions of traumatic events that clients have been through or are still battling. Often, these events have negatively impacted their financial history.

Excerpt from a poem included in the Restoring Hope project by Kentucky women.

In order to be more prepared to navigate these conversations and support clients, our staff recently went through training on trauma-informed approaches, as well as training on intimate partner violence and how financial abuse can be part of that picture.

Financial abuse is often cited by victims of abuse as the main reason that they stayed with or returned to an abusive partner. As a lender who has to look at a person’s financial history, the training brought up the following questions for us as an organization in considering ways we can create systems that support victims/survivors.

Support for Recovering from Financial or Other Abuse

What resources can we provide to help clients subtly open separate bank accounts to gain independence? What free budgeting tools and education can we offer clients to empower their financial management skills and boost clients’ confidence in financial decision-making? How can we advise clients on safely building up emergency funds even with limited resources? How can we help clients improve credit scores damaged by abuse so they can access affordable housing, etc. if needed? What partnerships with local organizations can we form to refer clients to counseling, legal help, shelter options, etc.?

Over the next several months, we will be working to answer these questions and compile resources to share with clients and organizations similar to ours.

The following are some resources we already know of:

Recognizing Abuse as Financial Lenders

Beyond training in how to take a trauma-informed approach to our work with clients, how will we train employees to recognize signs of financial abuse and offer help safely and discretely? Since financial abuse is often intrinsically linked to domestic violence, the first step in advising a client is to ensure their safety. We need to evaluate whether the steps we advise them to take would put them at risk of retaliation from their partner. For example, before advising the client to open up their own checking account, help determine if their partner would be able to access or know about the account.

Though Mountain Association never shares details of any person’s loans to any party other than original borrower without explicit permission, what other security measures should we consider? What can we add to our website, marketing material and loan documents to share resources with clients who might be in abusive situations? What adjustments can we make to loan products and policies to accommodate clients trying to leave abusive situations?

Here are some useful resources for organizations to learn more about this issue:

The Importance of a Trauma-Informed Approach

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) or Adverse Life Experiences are those potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood or throughout life. These include experiencing violence, abuse or neglect, witnessing addiction or violence in the home, having a family member attempt or die by suicide, and more. In the US, 64% adults will experience at least one type of trauma before age 18.

Excerpt from a poem included in the Restoring Hope project by Kentucky women.

Trauma from these experiences can alter brain development, hormonal systems, genetic expression and cause long term behavioral/health effects. Addressing root causes via trauma informed care, resilience building and community support is key. We all have a role in building a better world for everyone.

Here are some useful resources for organizations to learn more about trauma-informed approach:

  • Empowered Soul Coaching – Angelika Weaver is a Victim’s Advocate, Community Organizer, Empowerment Coach, & SEKY Native. She led our staff training and is an excellent resource.
  • BOUNCE Coalition – an organization based in Kentucky providing training and resources.

Contact

We’d love to hear from you with questions or resources as we work to better serve our clients. Please contact Ariel Fugate at ariel@mtassociation.org or 859-302-3868

Hiring the Next President of Mountain Association

Thu, 02/08/2024 - 10:31

Last fall, Mountain Association President Peter Hille announced his plans to retire as of May 1, 2025.

“The Mountain Association has a rich history of community economic development in Eastern Kentucky that dates back to 1976, and I’ve been honored to be a part of its legacy in building a bright future,” Peter said. “We have an amazing staff and serve incredible people doing awesome work to bring about real change. I feel really good about where we are as an organization today and where we are headed.” 

@mtassociationky

We’re hiring for a new president at 140-180k per year! Here’s just some of the amazing people you would get to work with. #nonprofitsoftiktok #kentucky #jobs #hiring

♬ what was I made for? – Instrumental – Wheeler

Peter has served our organization in various capacities for more than two decades. During his tenure, he has helped grow Mountain Association’s work in many ways, including new lending products, expanded clean energy work, more support for small businesses and nonprofits, and programs that allow for deeper community engagement. He also led the organization through planning and restructuring processes that ensure Mountain Association’s programs and policies align with the organization’s values of equity and inclusion

With Peter’s announcement in the fall, we launched a search for the next president with an application deadline of February 15, 2024. To help share more about our vision for the next stage of leadership, our staff recently collaborated to put together a short video describing some of the characteristics we’d love to see. We also put together a video featuring Peter as he describes more about what the position entails.

“Peter’s leadership over the last 30+ years has left an indelible mark on the region,” said Board Chair Robin Gabbard. “He has dedicated his life to building a just transition to a new economy in Appalachia. To ensure a smooth transition, our succession plan allows for the new president to have a full year of overlap with Peter ahead of his retirement.”

@mtassociationky

Are you presidential material? #nonprofitsoftiktok #appalachia #nonprofits

♬ original sound – mtassociationky

We’re looking forward to welcoming a new president and hope you’ll help us spread the word over the next week!

mtassociation.org/careers

Kentucky Power Rate Increase: What Businesses and Residents Can Expect

Tue, 02/06/2024 - 10:50

Kentucky Power, a utility serving 20 of Kentucky’s poorest counties, sent ripple waves through the region last summer when it filed for another rate increase— its fourth within the past eight years. This would been an 8% to 18% hike for homeowners, renters and small businesses in Eastern Kentucky. However, in mid-January, the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) issued a ruling limiting the increase for residential customers to just 5.7%, pointing to “excessive and disturbing” formal comments filed by members of the public over the past 6 months. 

While any rate increase will be painful for many Eastern Kentuckians, the PSC’s ruling for residential customers is worth celebrating. However, we want to call attention to the impact on small businesses and nonprofits in our region who did not get such positive news. General Service customers – like community centers, offices, restaurants, and convenience stores – will experience an energy rate increase of about 20% and a demand charge increase of 26%. Large General Service customers – like grocery stores, schools, and medical clinics – will see their rate go down by 3%, but their demand charge jump by a whopping 58%. Demand is an additional charge for commercial customers based on how much power they use at one time, and can be a significant portion of the bill for larger energy users. On top of this, there will be additional increases in monthly meter fees as well. 

Mountain Association, the nonprofit I work for, helps businesses, nonprofits and local governments in Eastern Kentucky save money on their bills. We have well over 100 clients in Kentucky Power’s service area and we calculated that their average bills will increase 9% to 13%. That’s over $600,000 per year – before taxes and surcharges – in additional electric costs. 

While this will be tough on businesses and organizations in our region, there are a couple of other things we want to highlight that will bring positive change for Kentucky Power customers. The PSC approved Kentucky Power’s commitment to extending the amount of time customers have to pay their bills from 15 days after billing to 21 days. The PSC also approved some language for Kentucky Power that will limit when residential customers can be disconnected for non-payment. Kentucky Power also agreed to a two-to-one match of the Residential Energy Assistance charge on residential bills, which will double the funding for this program that helps struggling customers pay their bills. 

The Mountain Association, along with Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, and the Kentucky Solar Energy Society, worked closely with Kentucky Power to discuss rate increases and other issues at length over the past several months. Our group, especially Kentuckians for the Commonwealth and Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, deserve kudos for their work in getting people to file formal comments in the case, which allowed the PSC to know how these changes would impact Kentuckians.  

Our group understands that Eastern Kentuckians need a break on rate increases for the next several years, especially while we are all dealing with record inflation. We believe the frequency of filing for rate increases by Kentucky Power can be prevented through the company’s greater investment in efficiency programs that lower our bills and the amount of energy that they need to purchase to power the region. We look forward to collaborating with Kentucky Power in the weeks and months ahead to develop better energy-saving programs that help their customers lower their electricity needs and bills.

If you are interested in sharing your thoughts on how Kentucky Power can better plan for the coming years, you can currently file a public comment on their Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines their plans for the next 15 years, via Kentuckians for Energy Democracy at k4ed.org/kpc

Headshots for Women

Tue, 01/30/2024 - 13:34

Angelika Weaver of Williamsburg, Kentucky wears many hats in her community.  Not only has she been the sole victims advocate serving people in Whitley County who are victims of crime for more than 25 years, but she also runs her own consulting business, supporting individuals and organizations who are ready to navigate difficult discussions on the matters of domestic abuse, sexual assault, bias, and more.  

Angelika Weaver, Victims Advocate for Whitley County and Owner of Good Stewardship Consulting. Photo taken during the Headshots for Women Event. 

For the last decade, she’s been using the same portrait photo – one she got for purchasing a Mary Kay kit – for all her professional and entrepreneurial marketing materials. Weaver admitted, “It was just never a priority … spending money to have pictures of myself taken? It felt there were other things more important to prioritize.” 

This inclination is not limited to Weaver; it’s a prevalent trend among women entrepreneurs. For many, investing in professional headshots can be an added expense, and one that often gets deferred when weighed against other pressing business priorities. Additionally, there’s often a reluctance to “be the face” of one’s business, but successful owners and leaders understand that their expertise will eventually be sought after, necessitating a professional headshot. A great headshot not only serves as a marketing tool but also contributes to the overall brand of the business and builds trust with customers. Everyone, regardless of their profession, needs a good headshot. 

“The idea of a photoshoot. It’s one of those things that I always need done but never schedule. This worked beautifully!” – Headshots for Women Attendee 

In Eastern Kentucky, we have a vibrant community of female-identifying entrepreneurs and trailblazers, and we, along with our partners, saw the need to create a convenient, low-cost, and fun way for this community to knock something off the bottom of their busy to-do lists.

Ashley Bledsoe, Chef/Owner of Taco Holler (Loyall, KY), photo taken at Headshots for Women Event

The idea for this came out of an event in March 2023 after the Mountain Association sponsored a small group of women to attend the “Becoming Unstoppable” conference held in Richmond, KY. After the event, many of the women reflected on how self-image can significantly affect a woman’s entrepreneurial confidence. Conversation consistently circled back to confidence and self-perception, often identified as recurring obstacles for women aspiring to become business owners. 

When discussing gender gaps in business, the conversation typically revolves around pay and promotions. However, the observations made by this group of women reflect a global reality. The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) found that while women are almost as likely as men to recognize opportunities around them, gender gaps persist in women’s belief in their own capabilities, which include higher levels of fear of failure. 

The group of women who attended the Becoming Unstoppable Conference.

Inspired by the professional headshot room at the conference, Angelika Weaver collaborated with the Mountain Association and Josh Samples, owner of Oak Hill Gardens in London, Kentucky, to offer affordable headshots in a supportive environment for women in the region. 

Hailing from Harlan, Laurel, Whitley, Perry, Garrard, Madison, McCreary counties and more, 26 professionals took photos in a variety of poses and settings around the beautiful grounds at Oak Hill Gardens, some for the first time in their life.  From restaurateurs to schoolteachers, authors to nonprofit animal rescue directors, attendees enjoyed the serene surroundings, networked with other women, indulged in tasty small bites from a local caterer, and obtained resources and support from table vendors like the National Association of Women Business Owners and New Opportunity School for Women. 

Respondents to the post-event survey cited the above uses for their headshots.

Photographer Brandon Turner of Unsung Hero Media received overwhelmingly positive feedback in the post-event survey. His calm and supportive demeanor made a significant difference for attendees who might have been nervous about being in the spotlight. 

While getting a professional headshot may not immediately change self-perception gaps, 93% of respondents reported finding the Headshots for Women experience empowering. Events like these serve as a low-investment, high-impact start to bridge the gap.  

Photographer, Brandon Turner of Unsung Hero Media, walked with each event attendee around the gorgeous grounds of Oak Hill Gardens in London, KY. 

As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), the Mountain Association is uniquely positioned to uplift entrepreneurs in the region, offering events like these to create a supportive environment for underserved populations, such as female-identifying entrepreneurs, to connect, center themselves, and celebrate the unique gifts they bring to the world through their work. We hope to again offer Headshots for Women in 2024 – this time in Hazard, Kentucky.  

“The photographer was great! The food was great! I felt completely at ease. I was welcomed as soon as I got out of the car. It was a great experience!” – Headshots for Women Attendee 

Funding for Farm Energy Projects in Kentucky

Wed, 01/24/2024 - 03:14

Eastern Kentucky farms may be eligible to receive money for energy projects from the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund (KADF).

The KADF On-Farm Energy Efficiency Incentives Program provides incentives for Kentucky farm families to increase the energy efficiency of existing equipment or facilities.

For example, Lazy Eight Stock Farm in Garrard County received over $23,000 for a wood fired boiler with $10,000 from the On-Farm Energy Efficiency Program and the remainder from the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). As a result, they are saving an estimated $3,160 per year in avoided energy use. The Mountain Association worked with them to complete their required third-party energy audit, and assist them in packaging their applications.

We have also worked with numerous farms on applications for solar grant funding. We again worked with Lazy Eight, as well as Southdown Farm, a maple syrup producer in Letcher County on successful On-Farm applications for solar. Each was granted $10,000 plus $150 to cover energy audits.

In recent years, we have also assisted Sustainable Harvest Farm in Laurel County, HomeGrown HideAways in Madison County, Salamander Springs in Rockcastle County, and Tree of the Field in Madison County in successful program applications.

Some examples of eligible reimbursements include:

  • Energy efficient building components & renewable energy projects:
    • Lighting
    • Insulation
    • Windows, doors, skylights, roofing, or other Energy Star building components
    • Programmable thermostats and controllers
    • Fans
    • Cool Roof system
    • Tankless, solar, or water heaters
    • Biomass fired boilers, hydronic furnaces, heaters and stoves
    • Solar powered watering system, as well as equipment, structures or other supplies necessary to harness available solar to offset ag. related energy expenses
  • Energy free or low energy waterers
  • Equipment upgrades:
    • New installation of, or conversion to, energy efficient grain drying / poultry / dairy systems
  • Timers for tractor engine block heaters
  • NEMA labeled premium efficiency motors
  • Low pressure irrigation systems, conversion from sprinkler to drip irrigation, or variable frequency drives for well pumps

Applicants must receive either at least $25,000 in Gross Farm Income, or 20% of gross income from farming for the previous two years. The 2024 deadlines are April 26, August 30 and December 20.

Successful applicants may receive up to 50% reimbursement of a qualified energy saving item (up to $10,000). Farms can put in additional applications even if they have received funding in the past (one application can be submitted per calendar year). Note: Though the program funds no more than 50% of your total project cost, the Mountain Association has affordable financing options which may cover any remaining portions.

A third‐party audit is required with the application (applicants may be reimbursed an additional $150 for the audit, though the Mountain Association’s energy audits are currently free thanks to the Kentucky Office of Energy Policy and other funders). Renovations recommended by the audit and any installation expenses may also be considered.

The Mountain Association is available to conduct your energy audit, as well as help you with your grant application. If you are interested in working on your farm’s energy needs, contact Carrie at carrie@mtassociation.org or 859-544-0023. To find out more about the program, please visit the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy website here.

A Place to Sit a Spell – Dwelling Place Monastery in Floyd County, KY

Fri, 01/19/2024 - 11:17

“As Americans we don’t know how to just sit. We’ll have the TV going, the phone in our lap, talking to the person next to us,” describes Sister Kathy Curtis. “It’s out of guilt. We feel like we’re supposed to be doing something, accomplishing something. Here at the Dwelling Place Monastery, we invite people to come sit a spell, to join us for the gift of peace, and escape all the chatter going on.”

On the side of a mountain near the town of Martin, Kentucky, this invite is as sincere as they come. The monastery sits on 24 acres, purchased, designed and built by hand in the 1980s by a group of Benedictine sisters. Their retreat center and grounds are open to anyone who wants to come visit for an hour, an afternoon, or a few days, whether you would like time to be alone or be with the sisters.

The eight women who live and pray there practice a type of religion that is ecumenical, whether you want to be closer to what you view as your God or creator, or simply be a better person.

Sister Kathy shared how they recently hosted a Buddhist group from Lexington for a four-day retreat, “Our doors are open. We want people here. We want to learn about them, what they need, and what they think.”

“We’re not cookie cutter nuns,” Sister Mary Going said in a recent video. “We’re very dynamic… if you sat at our Sunday morning breakfast conversation: we’ve got 8 million opinions about 20 different things. We’ve got the stability [of the monastic life] but we’re also free to explore ideas and bounce them off each other.”

The Mountain Association recently supported the monastery in completely redoing their website and creating a series of videos working toward their goal of “bringing the monastery into the 21st century,” in Sister Kathy’s words.

The Mountain Association consultant they chose to work with, S Media, helped guide the sisters, ranging in age from 64 to 82 years old, as they considered what they wanted the website and supporting outreach materials to do, and helped them think through what the next generation may like to experience on the mountain.

The website outlines what each building on the grounds offers, with meeting space, cooking space and rooms for overnights. Whether it’s a corporate, solo or a couples retreat, there’s an option for everyone. Sister Kathy says their suggested donation is $75 per person per night which includes meals. Event space is $100 per building being used per day. Though this is their general guide, they have a policy of “pay what you can.”

“You should never not come because you can’t afford it. Anyone who has a need for respite, this is our gift to give. We feel really good about that – it costs us nothing to share; God has a way of providing more than what we need.”

Each Friday at the monastery, they set aside time to pray for peace. The world peace prayer refrain goes “Lead us from death to life from falsehood to truth, from despair to hope, from fear to trust. Lead us from hate to love, from war to peace; let peace fill our hearts, let peace fill our world, let peace fill our universe.”

They specifically offer two-day stays free of charge to those who work in high burnout fields like addiction recovery and social justice, partnering with organizations like Hope in the Mountains, a women residential treatment center, and Kentuckians for the Commonwealth.

In one of the videos, Sister Judy Yunker describes what they have built: “we were given a cauldron of peace, and our job is to maintain this bowl of peace and provide an environment that people can come in and take a little bit of that away or to bring that peace”.

If you’d like to learn more about the Dwelling Place Monastery at Mt Tabor, visit their website or follow on Facebook where their posts take you along on a simple walk around the grounds with one of dogs, or allow you to witness the changing of seasons throughout the year. You can also join their enewsletter, which currently goes out three times a year, and is full of reflections from the sisters.

The sisters have also opened up their space through an oblate program, described through the website: “We enjoy the way we live so much that we want to share it with others who want to deepen their relationship with God, following Benedictine spirituality while continuing to live in their own home, raising their family, continuing their job or whatever they are currently doing. These folks are called oblates of St. Benedict. Oblates associate themselves with a particular monastery, finding support in their faith journey and giving support in return. Oblates can be men or women, single or married and of any faith tradition.”

“There are over 35 years of prayer on this mountain; it has soaked into the ground. Please know that we are open to receiving your tired spirit on this mountain. It is a place of peace and a place that can refresh your spirit. You are welcomed to join us.”

Olive Hill, KY Passes Policy to Allow Solar

Tue, 01/02/2024 - 10:22

Imagine a $4,800 energy bill.

That’s what one Kentucky nonprofit leader woke up to in February 2023.

While many Kentuckians are looking for permanent relief from high energy bills, those that are in older homes or buildings are especially hurting. Cory Claxon and his team of volunteers at the Olive Hill Center for Arts & Heritage, a nonprofit serving Carter County, are housed on a 1929 historic school campus. Their bills average $2,200 each month in the summer and anywhere from $2,200 up to nearly $5,000 in the winter, as was the case this past February.

They began working with the Mountain Association’s team of energy experts to find savings, but even with efficiency upgrades like lighting changes and insulation, their bills were still going to be in the thousands of dollars each month due to the size and age of their facilities. Solar was the only answer.

However, we soon realized it would not be financially viable for them to add solar unless their community had a net metering policy in place.  

“The majority of customers throughout Kentucky are served by utilities that have this type of policy in place that makes solar more affordable because you are credited for the extra electricity your system adds back to the grid after you use what you need,” Josh Bills, Senior Energy Analyst with the Mountain Association, said. “However, Olive Hill, which is served by its own municipal utility, had not yet adopted a policy, leaving its approximately 1,200 customers without a financially viable way of adding solar and saving on their bills.”  

Renovated event space on the historic campus.

The Olive Hill Center for Arts & Heritage mission is to provide equitable and accessible arts and cultural experiences for their community. With more than 25% of their county in poverty, these opportunities, like arts workshops, exhibits and performances, would not be possible for many families without the center. Their campus also houses one of two library branches, a historical museum, an antique and craft store, and a proposed youth center operated by The Galaxy Project.   

Being the steward of such essential services, the Center wasn’t going to let these savings go unrealized. After identifying this issue, over the course of 2023, Cory and Josh worked with the city council to pass a renewable energy net metering policy for customers of their municipal utility. In November 2023, the city council finalized the policy, making more energy independence possible.  

“With Olive Hill having one of the highest rates in the entire state of Kentucky due to their contract with Kentucky Power, their residents desperately needed other options as rates continue to rise,” Josh said. “The city council did right by their residents, businesses and nonprofits by getting this policy in place.”  

Solar would offset 62 percent of the Center’s energy usage, saving them more than $7,000 per year even with a 4% interest loan from the Mountain Association – allowing them to put so much more toward their actual mission. Once solar panels are paid off, which typically averages between 6-12 years, electricity is free for the rest of the life of the panels, which often have guaranteed lives of at least 25 years.  

“That extra income and self-sufficiency would be game changing for our small nonprofit’s operating budget,” Cory said.

They’ve raised over $62,000 for their project and roof repairs with support from General Motors, Appalachian Solar Finance Fund, and other partners like Kentucky Office of Energy Policy and the Mountain Association. However, they still need $57,000 for roof repairs prior to proceeding with the solar installation. 

If you’re able to donate, please consider making a gift: https://ohcae.org/gift/

More about net metering:

The concept of net metering began decades ago as a way to credit people with small-scale solar or other renewable energy systems for adding electricity to the grid. Without net metering, any solar they produced that exceeded their own consumption would be essentially gifted to the utility company. With net metering that excess is credited to offset their use at night, for example. 

Net metering policies are determined by each state and each specific utility. Net metering also helps the whole community lower their bills, in time, as with solar adding to the grid, less fossil fuels have to be purchased which can come with costly fuel adjustment charges passed on directly to the customer. 

Kentucky Net Metering Policy Examples 

For customers of Kentucky Power Company with net-metered solar, they get the one-to-one retail rate (the rate we are all charged on our bills) for any electricity they produce and use within a single billing period. Then, if they produce excess of what their household or facility uses in that monthly time period, they are credited for that energy at 80 percent of the current retail rate to offset future bills.  

For customers of the municipal utility in Olive Hill, any excess kilowatt hour (kWh) energy credits generated are available in any future month where energy used is greater than energy production. Since the credit is defined as kWh of energy (instead of 80 percent of retail rate per kWh), it offsets future use at retail rate, so every kWh of solar energy generated offsets a kWh of energy otherwise bought from the municipal utility. 

Preparing for a Loan

Mon, 01/01/2024 - 12:42

Whether you are getting ready to apply for a loan or want to strengthen your next application, there are resources to help you get “loan ready”.

Q. How can I see my credit report and find my credit score?

A. Your credit report is an important part of your financial life that can determine whether you can get credit, how good or bad the terms are, and how much it costs you to borrow. Learn how to get your free credit report — and why it’s a good idea.

All three of the major credit reporting agencies offer free access to your credit report and credit score:

Q. I have a low credit score.  What can I do to improve that?

A. Here are a few organizations that can help you learn how to improve your credit:

  1. Redbud Financial Alternatives – Kentucky based nonprofit that offers one-on-one assistance to create a financial action plan that helps clients reach their financial goals. Additionally, they offer debt consolidation loans and other options.
  2. Take Charge America – Nonprofit that offers a free credit review to help you understand your credit and how to improve it. This service is free.
  3. Apprisen – Nonprofit that offers a free automated financial analysis and action plan. This service is free.

Q. How do I write a business plan?

There are classes offered by various service providers to help you get your thoughts on paper and work out the details of your business idea into a plan. If you prefer to do the work on your own, templates and courses for business plans are available online.

Template: Initiate is a free online platform provided by the Mountain Association that provides a simple business plan template (you will be required to make a free account first).

Classes: Kentucky Small Business Development CenterKentucky Women’s Business CenterSOAR Innovation

Other Templates or Information: Centro Business Planning AppKauffman FastTracSmall Business Administration (SBA) Business Plan OutlineSCORE Business Plan Templates

Q. Where can I get help with year-to-date financials?

A. If you’d like to work with a person, the Small Business Development Center or the Women’s Business Center can guide you in compiling your year-to-date financials. Note: The Women’s Business Center serves all gender identities.

Alternatively, if you’d like to compile this on your own, Initiate is a free online platform provided by the Mountain Association that provides a simple year-to-date financials profit and loss template (you will be required to make a free account first).

Q: How do I write financial projections?

Financial projections are what you anticipate your business’ finances to look like in the future. These may be requested for start-up businesses or if a business is looking to make big changes.

Template: Initiate is a free online platform provided by the Mountain Association that provides a financial projections template (you will be required to make a free account first).

In-person support: The Kentucky Small Business Development Center or the Women’s Business Center of Kentucky can assist you with projections.

Q: I have student loan debt. Where can I find information on forgiveness programs?

A. The federal government maintains a student aid website where you can find trustworthy information on student loan debt.

Our support of applications to the USDA Rural Energy for America Program

Mon, 01/01/2024 - 10:26

Several Eastern Kentucky businesses recently received money for their renewable energy and energy efficiency projects from the USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Here are just a few of the recent applications we supported:

The USDA administers REAP to provide financial assistance to rural small businesses and agricultural producers to purchase, install, and construct renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements to non-residential buildings and facilities, and participate in energy audits.

The amounts range from $2,500-$500,000 for renewable energy systems and from $1,500-$250,000 for energy efficiency grants.

Since 2015, the Mountain Association has worked with dozens more businesses to bring in more than $500,000 in REAP funding for both energy efficiency and solar projects. In Kentucky, nearly all projects meeting REAP eligibility criteria have been successful in being awarded their funding.

Solar photovoltaic and efficiency upgrades are the most common REAP applications we help submit, but other eligible renewable systems include solar water heat & solar space heat, geothermal electric & solar thermal electric, wind, biomass, hydroelectric, high efficiency HVAC, and more (for specific details on what is eligible, please contact us).

Applying to REAP can be a complex and lengthy process, but a worthwhile one for the right project. It may be important for your business or farm to start with an energy efficiency audit to determine if an application for funding would be best spent on energy efficiency upgrades or if you are ready for a renewable energy system. Note: prior to the Inflation Reduction Act being signed into law in August 2022, REAP only covered up to 25 percent of a total project cost, however, this has now shifted to 50 percent with the new provisions!

The Mountain Association can offer affordable financing options to eligible businesses and organizations which may cover any remaining portions.

The next deadlines are March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2024, with more deadlines to follow.

Please contact our energy team well in advance of the deadline if you would like to learn more about REAP and to discuss your building’s energy efficiency or renewable project: Carrie at carrie@mtassociation.org or (859) 671-0240, or if you’re ready to get started fill out this short informational form: https://mtassociation.org/energy/apply-for-an-energy-audit/

Middlesboro Community Center Powered by Solar Energy

Thu, 12/14/2023 - 10:44

Thank you to our partners at The Nature Conservancy for putting together this news release!

Dec. 7, 2023 – The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Mountain Association and the City of Middlesboro announced today the installation of solar panels on the Middlesboro Community Center, eliminating most of the Center’s energy costs and reducing its carbon emissions. The Center, a mainstay of activity in Middlesboro, is used for community gatherings from birthday parties to business meetings. The installation is part of a growing trend toward renewable energy and energy savings projects in the region.

“We’ve seen renewable energy in other communities, but this is new for us,” said Boone Bowling, mayor of Middlesboro. “One of the greatest things about this project is that it’s going to be an eye-opener for so many people who use our Community Center. This is a big leap forward for us, and that is so exciting for me. I can’t thank The Nature Conservancy and Mountain Association enough.”

The 162-module installation will produce approximately 74,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per year, saving the city approximately $8,500 per year on the Center’s energy bills.

In addition to the financial benefits, the solar panels will greatly reduce the Center’s carbon emissions. As the climate changes, the transition to renewable energy becomes even more important.

The solar panels were funded in large part by the Cumberland Forest Project, an impact investment fund managed by TNC that owns and operates over a quarter of a million acres in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. The surface and mineral estates on the 253,000-acre Cumberland Forest Project property are severed, with Cumberland Forest LP owning and TNC managing the surface estate and separate entities owning the mineral estate. The mineral rights owner must pay royalties to the surface owner for any coal, oil or gas extraction. While there is little mining on the property, the Cumberland Forest Project reinvests 100 percent of the royalty payments it does receive into a Community Fund. In Kentucky, TNC has directed those funds to support solar installations on community buildings in the southeastern corner of the state.

“Reinvesting in local communities is an important part of the larger Cumberland Forest Project, and we are thrilled to partner with Mayor Bowling and the Mountain Association to bring the benefits of solar power to Middlesboro,” said David Phemister, state director for TNC in Kentucky. “Solar is a smart investment in the future that also yields immediate benefits.”

Other funding sources included the City of Middlesboro, the Appalachian Solar Finance Fund and General Motors.

The Community Center is the first of what will be a series of solar installations by TNC in partnership with Mountain Association.

“Mountain Association is honored to work with The Nature Conservancy and the community of Middleboro in the city’s big step into energy transition with the installation underway of 162 solar modules on the rooftop of the Middlesboro Community Center,” said Josh Bills, senior energy analyst for Mountain Association. “This solar system is expected to drop electric expenses for the Center—and the city pool—more than 80%. In addition to reliance on a local company for the installation, the solar installation will offer protection to the city against the rising cost of electricity. Additionally, both the city and residents will experience what solar can do for a community’s resiliency.”

The panels are being installed by HOMES, Inc., a Whitesburg nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable housing solutions to families in Letcher County, Kentucky. The organization installs solar energy on eastern Kentucky residential and commercial properties to reduce community energy costs.

“HOMES is excited to have been selected to be a part of this innovative solar project here in the mountains of eastern Kentucky,” said Seth Long, executive director of HOMES, Inc. “Projects like these help us to put local folks to work, providing our employees with excellent hands-on training opportunities in renewable energy. There is a lot of misinformation about solar out there. We see solar as a proven solution to help small businesses, homeowners and local governments survive in economically difficult times. Each new solar project is an opportunity to engage the local conversations truthfully.”

TNC and Mountain Association look forward to upcoming solar installations at Red Bird Mission and the Leslie County Animal Shelter.

Kentucky Power Rate Request and Proposed Settlement Still Open For Comment

Thu, 12/14/2023 - 10:39

This is an op-ed published in several EKY newspapers in December 2023.

Kentucky Power (KP), a utility serving 20 of Kentucky’s poorest counties, has asked for an increase in electricity rates for homeowners, renters, and small businesses – the fourth in eight years.

The increase, currently in a settlement agreement under review by the Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC), could bring in $74 million more a year to KP from its 163,000 customers, including residents, businesses and industrial users. That’s a significant amount of money out of the pockets of those who in many cases are already struggling to pay their electric bills.

At Mountain Association, the community economic development nonprofit where I work, we understand rising costs and recurring extreme weather, along with the region’s faltering economy, all take a toll on Kentucky Power and its customers. We, along with Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, and the Kentucky Solar Energy Society recently worked closely with Kentucky Power to discuss some of these issues at length, and agreed to a settlement pending in the case that will both reduce the overall rate increase and increase efforts to assist customers with low and fixed incomes.

KP says it needs to purchase more energy and capacity resources with some of the $74 million. At the same time, for the past four years, only 67 customers per year on average have received weatherization home improvements through KP. And Kentucky Power disconnected over 8,100 customers for non-payment in 2021 alone. Without addressing the root cause of those high bills – poorly insulated and inefficient homes – KP can’t hope to make a dent in decreasing the amount of energy they need to provide customers. We are happy to report that through our conversations, KP has committed to more than doubling shareholder company funds that go to those most challenged to help pay their high winter electric bills. But the real work still lies ahead in collaborating with KP to develop energy saving programs to help their customers lower their electricity need and bills.

These programs can make a real difference for both customers and utility companies. Ouachita Electric Cooperative, a utility in Kansas, for example, invested nearly $3 million into their customers’ homes, completing 700 home efficiency improvement projects and adding solar. This has reduced their summer peak for energy by about 30% – and resulted in a 4% rate decrease for their member-owners.

Programs that help people make upgrades in this way are a perfect complement to standard rebate and incentive programs. For many low-income families incentives alone aren’t enough to allow them to invest in energy improvements because they simply cannot afford thousands of dollars in upfront costs for things like new HVAC equipment, attic or duct insulation, or air sealing. Ouachita Electric Cooperative uses a Pay As You Save (PAYS ®) model, as do other utilities around the country, through which utilities pay for improvements in customers’ homes and recover those upfront costs via a fixed charge on the customer’s utility bill. The fixed monthly charge is less than the average monthly energy bill savings, creating a net savings for the customer from day one.

Those enrolled get a more comfortable home and a lower electric bill at the same time. Additionally, energy efficiency programs provide more economic benefits and jobs to the region than if KP were to purchase more energy from outside Kentucky – not to mention the significant environmental benefits. We are encouraged by KP’s commitment to serving more people with its energy efficiency programs, and look forward to collaborating to find more durable ways to help customers meet their energy needs and control costs.

The Kentucky PSC will decide on Kentucky Power’s rate request and the settlement agreement, and public comment is still being accepted. You can submit your thoughts on the rate request, and on the proposed settlement to which Mountain Association and the other groups mentioned above are parties, via Kentuckians for Energy Democracy at k4ed.org/kpc.

Carrie Ray is the Director of Energy Programs at the Mountain Association. She can be reached at carrie@mtassociation.org

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