The CommunityTIES Project is a partnership program operated by the Energy Center at Appalachian State University that assists communities throughout North Carolina with development of valuable local energy resources - specifically renewable energy in the form of landfill gas - in economically constructive ways. The program began in late 2006 and was modeled after the highly acclaimed and award-winning innovative community-based EnergyXchange Renewable Energy Center, located at the Yancey-Mitchell County landfill.

Since its inception, the CommunityTIES Project has assisted with locally led efforts to make use of landfill gas as a source of local and renewable energy in about 20 counties. While the program's efforts are centered on using energy from landfill gas, the program's targeted outcome is community-led economic growth in the form of business creation or expansion, increased entrepreneurial activity, and the creation and retention of green jobs. As with the EnergyXchange, potential uses for the landfill gas are defined by the communities themselves based on local industry needs, economic development priorities, and other factors. This tailored approach has driven a long list of potential uses for landfill gas, involving industries ranging from agricultural and artisan to industrial chemical processing and textiles.