The Alliance for Appalachia serves as a channel through which our member groups participate in regional and federal-level campaigns, working together to create a sustainable future for our region.
We engage with member and ally organizations to strengthen our partnerships and the collective experiences and knowledge we hold together. We consider ourselves allies and supporters of many different aspects of social and environmental justice movements surrounding mountaintop removal coal mining and working towards a sustainable, just Appalachia.
Federal-Level
Our member groups participate in federal-level campaigns and teach other member groups how they can engage in this process.
Coalition-Building
We prioritize relationships and building trust between our members and our allies because we value the benefits of coalition-building.
State and Regional
We help to identify and unify regional needs and share resources by convening teams and supporting member advocacy projects.Work Teams
Our members engage in work teams to address the legacy costs of more than a century of coal mining and organize for a healthy environment through regional and federal campaigns.
The Grassroots Water Monitoring & Enforcement Team convenes a space for members to learn from each other’s work around water monitoring, develop enforcement strategies, and share resources between states on issues like tracking and challenging mine permits, mining bond proceedings, and teaching residents how to submit complaints and petitions to hold coal corporations accountable. We hope to use on-the-ground fieldwork to support our narrative with agencies, legislators, and the public.
The Federal Team works to combat the dangers associated with mining, address the legacy costs of more than a century of coal mining, and organize for a healthy environment through regional and federal campaigns. This team advocates for and defends key water protections seeks to improve regulatory oversight promotes beneficial legislation and coordinates around key federal rulemakings, rule changes, policies, and coal mining permits.
See our upcoming call & event calendar or contact your local member group about how you can get involved or below on how to become a member group.
Governance
The democratic process by which we coordinate our coalition helps us develop new leaders, be guided by grassroots input and concerns, and models the changes we would like to see in our society.
Our Steering Committee is our larger decision-making body. This Committee is made up of one representative and one alternate from each of our member groups. The Steering Committee sets big picture direction of The Alliance for Appalachia’s strategy and meets throughout the year.
Our Coordinating Committee acts as an administrative committee and oversees the day to day Alliance work. This team has representatives from Appalachian states, as well as one person from a regional group. They are empowered to make decisions about the budget and organizational operations, and oversee the work of our the Alliance and staff.
Partners
Member Groups of The Alliance for Appalachia function as the main grassroots stakeholders in our work, as well as the key organizations that move projects forward.
Connections with ally organizations like Earthjustice, Climate Justice Alliance, Extreme Energy Extraction Collaborative, and Catalyst Project are important channels through which we connect with broader movements. These connections keep us informed on interrelated issues, particularly at the national and international levels, which we see as vital to making sure that our work is aimed at effective, systemic change.
Appalachian Citizens’ Law Center (ACLC) has been our key partner on the AML Policy Priorities Project. They worked closely with The Alliance to develop the AML Policy Priorities research paper and currently coordinate work around the RECLAIM Act.
Become A Member Group
The Alliance for Appalachia is a coalition of organizations that promote a healthy, just Appalachia by supporting our members in communities impacted by destructive resource extraction. We are interested in engaging with a variety of Appalachian organizations, in order to strengthen our alliances and the power we hold together. We consider ourselves allies and supporters of many different aspects of social change in Appalachia and beyond. Organizations interested in working together with us as a member organization should be supportive of the Alliance mission.
There are two levels of membership that organizations can participate in the Alliance for Appalachia – Core Member Groups and Ally Groups. We put these distinctions in place to accommodate the different needs and capacities of our member groups.
Core Member Groups
Benefits of Core Groups
- Voting role on the Alliance Steering Committee
- Bring up to four people to the Steering Committee Meetings
- Opportunity to serve on the Alliance Coordinating Committee
- Priority for funding support, such as travel scholarships, housing costs, food, and other expenses related to Alliance meetings
- Full media support via Facebook and Twitter through The Alliance for Appalachia, Patagonia, and I Love Mountains
- Put announcements in the Alliance Digest
- Ask for special project volunteers through our Catchafire membership.
- Get the word out about your organization or share action alerts via the I Love Mountains or the Alliance email listservs
- Eligible for invite only nominations with area funders
Expectations of Core Member Groups
- Participation in Steering Committee meetings and calls to guide the overall strategic direction of the Alliance
- Organizational members or staff take part in committee work to implement the Alliance’s plans in legislative, enforcement, training, and other areas
- Commit resources (time or budget) to the overall plans of the Alliance, for example, bring members to events, apply technical knowledge and/or specialized skills, and staff time
- Work to achieve the Alliance’s goals independently of the Alliance
- List membership of the Alliance in public and private materials
Ally Member Groups
Benefits for Ally Groups
- Bring up to two people to the Steering Committee meetings as space allows
- Receive priority for funding support before non‐member groups and individuals when there is a budget cap
- Financial support for travel scholarships, housing costs, food, and other expenses related to Alliance meetings and events when funding allows
- Choose whether or not to be publicly listed as member groups
Expectations of Ally Groups
- Participate in Steering Committee meetings and calls when they include the specific projects on which they are working.
- No expectation to contribute to the overall guiding strategy of the Alliance but are welcome to do so
- Organizational members or staff participate in committees that are implementing the projects to which they are contributing
- Commit resources to the projects to which they are contributing, whether by bringing members to events, applying technical knowledge and/or specialized skills, or staff time
How to Apply
In order to become a member of The Alliance for Appalachia, our Steering Committee, made up of representatives from all of our organizations, would like some input in person or in the form of a letter with regard to the following questions:
- What are the benefits of joining The Alliance for your group?
- What are the benefits for The Alliance as a whole if your group were to join?
- In what way would you participate or how do you see your group fit?
Finally, we need to know whether or not you would like to become a “Core Member Group” or an “Ally Group.” Please contact us to submit a request at info@theallianceforappalachia.org
