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From the Executive Director's Desk | April 2026
With the adjournment of the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly on April 15, it's time to reflect on what our network accomplished, and to offer a well-earned word of thanks.
This session required sustained effort from many people, and the results reflect it. The Joint Funding Administration (JFA) was funded, along with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), outcomes that directly support the work our Area Development Districts do every day on behalf of Kentucky communities. The Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI), the GRANT Program, and Putting Young Kentuckians to Work were also reauthorized and funded, representing meaningful investments in economic development and workforce opportunity across the commonwealth.
The Senior Meal Program was funded at $10 million per year. While that figure falls short of what the program requires to fully meet demand, it represents a foundation we will continue to build on. The seniors who depend on these meals, in every corner of this commonwealth, deserve nothing less than our continued, tireless advocacy, and that commitment does not pause when the legislature adjourns.
None of this would have been possible without the remarkable team behind this work. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the executive directors of Kentucky's 15 Area Development Districts, whose leadership and coordination throughout this session made our collective voice stronger. To the KCADD 30-member board, your guidance and support are the backbone of everything we do. And to everyone who stepped up to advocate on behalf of the ADDs, whether making calls, attending meetings, or simply telling the story of what this work means to people in your community, thank you. You made a difference.
As we look ahead, we carry both the wins of this session and its unfinished business into the work that follows.
Sincerely,
Casey Ellis, Executive Director
Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts
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