Lee County Receives USDA Grant

USDA Rural Development Kentucky State Director Travis Burton and staff traveled to Beattyville Town Square on Wednesday, October 21, to announce a $149,767 grant award for a regional project expanding Red River Gorge wayfinding signage and developing a regional tourism website.

“We’re spending two full days in eastern Kentucky making exciting announcements,” said Travis Burton, state director for USDA Rural Development in Kentucky.

The Fellowship of the Gorge, a partnership representing Lee, Powell, Wolfe, Menifee, and Estill counties, secured the funding through USDA’s Rural Business Development Grant program. Beattyville/Lee County Tourism serves as the lead grant writer and fiscal agent, coordinating the application and administration with tourism partners across the five counties.

This project builds on previous grant-funded work and moves the region into another implementation phase, supporting the construction and installation of additional wayfinding signs along area highways. The signs will help visitors navigate between communities and discover more of the attractions, outdoor recreation opportunities, and local businesses throughout the region.

A regional tourism website with an interactive map is also planned, connecting visitors with information to help them explore beyond a single destination. Together, the signage and digital resources will encourage travelers to experience more of the five-county area and support the small businesses that depend on visitor spending.

The application received more than 25 letters of support, demonstrating broad backing for a coordinated approach to regional tourism. Partners also worked through USDA’s environmental review process, with proposed sign locations in floodplains removed from the funded project.

The USDA made stops in Breathitt, Lee, and Estill Counties Wednesday, announcing a total of nearly $2.4 million for water projects, business development, and distance learning grants in those communities.