CHARLESTON -- Gov. Joe Manchin announced last week recommendations of 10 projects totaling more than $5 million in grants from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) Investment Program.

The West Virginia Development Office administers the program, which is a partnership of federal, state and local participants providing financial and technical assistance for economic development and infrastructure projects.

Based on a release from the governor's office, the following are among the projects recommended for ARC:

Statewide

West Virginia Development Office, $350,000 for Consolidated Technical Assistance. The West Virginia Development Office, with ARC funding assistance, will continue the Consolidated Technical Assistance program. The grant allows the West Virginia Development Office to employ staff for the purpose of providing technical assistance to ARC applicants and grantees, monitoring and administering ongoing projects, updating the West Virginia Development Plan, and maintaining a project information system.

West Virginia Division of Culture and History, $200,000, for the West Virginia State Museum Education Project. The project will assist with the development of an educational curriculum for the new West Virginia State Museum, and provide computers and lab-related equipment for the museum's education centers. This project will increase learning opportunities for students statewide, enhance tourism and improve the quality of life for all of West Virginia's citizens.

Workforce West Virginia, $250,000 for the Competitive Improvement Program. The project will provide training and consultation services to small and medium-sized firms in West Virginia to increase their competitiveness. The project will address a unique need for which no other funding sources are available. The results of these services will be a greater number of companies that are increasing the range of their market and market share, and a commensurate increase in the number of jobs retained or created.

Multi-county

Advantage Valley, $100,000 for the Entrepreneurial League System. The project will provide training through an intensive coaching process for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses beyond the start-up phase. This project will enhance economic growth and expand job opportunities for business owners and residents in an eight-county region.

Distressed counties: Lincoln County

Branchland-Midkiff Public Service District, $1,500,000 for the Tenmile Waterline Extension Project. The project will extend water service for the Tenmile Creek Road, Upper Tenmile Creek Road, Plumb Branch, and Bearwallow Branch areas of Lincoln County. Currently, residents in the project area rely upon wells and cisterns that fail or must haul water from an off site source for consumption. The project will serve 154 customers.