Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation (KHIC) Founded in 1968, KHIC is a leading catalyst for community and economic development activities in southern and eastern Kentucky. Since 1968, KHIC has made hundreds of commercial loans, farm loans and equity investments, together totaling more than $300 million. KHIC is the project manager for the SOAR Small Production Loan Fund and will oversee program investments.

Grow Appalachia is headquartered in Berea and operates as a program of Berea College. Grow Appalachia was created in 2009 through funding from JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation of John Paul Dejoria. Grow Appalachia emphasizes food production in order to introduce as much low-cost, fresh, healthy food as possible to the region. The basic goal is to help as many families grow as much food as possible for both personal use and commercial sale. Grow Appalachia is the contact for growers participating in this project.

Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund (KADF) is a program of the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy designed to provide access to funds for a wide variety of agricultural ventures that fall outside established programs. Funds for KADF projects are from the master settlement with the tobacco companies. KADF is providing the funding for the SOAR Small Production Loan Fund.