The West Virginia Community Development Hub (The Hub) is thrilled to announce the first group of communities that will participate in the Accelerate WV program. The Accelerate WV program is part of the Community and Business Resilience Initiative (CBRI) work as part of the larger Appalachian Climate Technology Coalition (ACT Now Coalition).
The Hub, along with our partners at Advantage Valley, AFV Educate, WV Brownfields Centers, and The WV Hive, part of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), will work alongside six communities over the next two years. Accelerate WV will be working in Wayne, the Fairfield community of Huntington, the West Side of Charleston, Webster County, Ronceverte, and Princeton.
Eleven communities submitted applications in a competitive process each identifying key projects they want to move forward as part of their community’s overall revitalization goals. The Hub and the program partners are going to be working alongside the six communities to help create Economic Resilience Plan, complete pre-development for a sustainable green development project aimed at revitalizing the local business districts, and connect the teams with needed private and federal funding. These steps will help the selected communities to realize their goals for economic redevelopment to boost local economies across the state.
“We are so thrilled for the opportunity to work alongside the West Virginia Community Development Hub in the Accelerate WV program. There are so many wonderful things happening in our town and we know that participating in this program will only enhance our ability to bring many more great projects to fruition,” said Mayor Deena Pack, Ronceverte Accelerate Community Team Member.
Accelerate WV communities will have access to local, regional, and national experts that will help with planning, implementation, and funding support. The work will build new local community expertise and develop a long-term diverse local leadership team and will establish sustained partnerships for long-term development.
The Accelerate WV program supports community leaders who are wanting to work together as a team to make a lasting impact on the economic well-being and quality of life for their fellow residents.
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