The Appalachian Regional Commission may provide technical assistance, make grants, enter into contracts, or otherwise provide amounts to persons or entities in the region for projects—

(1) to increase affordable access to advanced telecommunications, entrepreneurship, and management technologies or applications in the region;

(2) to provide education and training in the use of telecommunications and technology;

(3) to develop programs to increase the readiness of industry groups and businesses in the region to engage in electronic commerce; or

(4) to support entrepreneurial opportunities for businesses in the information technology sector.

Of the cost of any activity eligible for a grant under this section, not more than—

(1) 50 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section;

(2) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which a distressed county designation is in effect under section 14526, 80 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section; or

(3) in the case of a project to be carried out in a county for which an at-risk county designation is in effect under section 14526, 70 percent may be provided from amounts appropriated to carry out this section.

Assistance under this section may be provided entirely from amounts made available to carry out this section, in combination with amounts made available under other federal programs, or from any other source.

Notwithstanding any provision of law limiting the federal share under any other federal program, amounts made available to carry out this section may be used to increase that federal share, as the Commission decides is appropriate.

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1270; Pub. L. 110–371, § 2(d), Oct. 8, 2008, 122 Stat. 4039.)