Grants Of Up to $10,000 Available to Help Distressed Communities in West Virginia

Grants of up to $10,000 are now available to support community development initiatives in West Virginia’s most economically distressed counties.

The West Virginia Development Office’s Flex-E-Grant Program provides funding to increase community capacity and leadership behind local development efforts.

For more information, contact James Bush at the West Virginia Development Office, at james.e.bush@wv.gov, or 304-558-2234.

Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the grants cannot be used for construction, but instead must contribute to increasing local capacity, human resource development and local systems capacity.

 

Formally designated “distressed” counties will receive priority consideration. Those counties are:

• Calhoun
• Clay
• Gilmer
• Lincoln
• McDowell
• Mingo
• Roane
• Webster

In addition, highest priority will also be given to projects that address disaster recovery in the flood-impacted counties of Fayette, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas and Summers.

To give you an idea of the kinds of proposals that may be funded, here’s a few projects that have been supported by Flex-E-Grant funding in the past:

• BAD Buildings Rescue: Completed environmental assessments of two abandoned buildings, with a view to future conversion for community use.
• Creating Community Leaders: A summer youth development program that included instruction in drug abuse prevention, healthy lifestyles, community beautification and economic development.
• Local Tourism Initiative: Created a website and social media feed to promote local community as a stargazing destination. Conducted dark skies conservation workshop, and developed visitor database to track visitors to the area.
• Development Planning: Contracted with a consultant to develop local revitalization plan, with a focus on addressing abandoned and dilapidated buildings.
• Local Food and Farm Economy: Provided planning services to develop a farmers market in downtown area, including analysis of local growers, site location and market organization.
• Community Center: Increase the sustainability of the local community center by developing social media, a direct donor campaign, and a newsletter to assist in support and fundraising.

If you’ve got a great idea and need a few thousand dollars to get it started, consider applying for an ARC Flex-E-Grant.

However, you better get cracking – all applications must be postmarked no later than Dec. 16.

For more information, contact James Bush at the West Virginia Development Office, at james.e.bush@wv.gov, or 304-558-2234.