Colorful murals in Princeton were a part of efforts to spur growth and momentum downtown while participating in Blueprint Communities.
The Blueprint Communities program supports community leaders who are looking to make a lasting impact on the economic well being and quality of life for their fellow residents.
Blueprint Communities is an initiative created by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) in 2005 that has since helped 58 communities across Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia build strategies toward a brighter future and access the resources needed to start making it a reality.
FHLBank is partnering with the West Virginia Community Development Hub (The Hub) to welcome six new communities into the initiative. Together, FHLBank and The Hub have supported the development of local leadership, collaboration across sectors, and holistic planning in 15 Blueprint Communities in West Virginia since 2007.
Teams from the following areas will take part in a year-long process to create a strategy to build community assets, engage residents, overcome challenges, and attract new investment to the area:
- Kingwood (Preston County);
- Lewis County;
- Meadow River Valley region (Greenbrier County);
- Monticello neighborhood of Clarksburg (Harrison County);
- New Martinsville (Wetzel County); and
- Parsons (Tucker County)
Community Benefits
Benefits for communities participating in the program include:
- The opportunity to develop a consistent collaboration with diverse members and organizations within your community, and to develop strong relationships with other participating Blueprint Community teams. Past participants have developed sustainable organizations to continue implementing their strategy and plan;
- The development of an informed community revitalization strategy that contains a future vision for your community, and encourages coordinated investments by public and private funders. Past participants have distributed their plans, showcasing their specific opportunities and coordinated efforts in order to attract public and private investment;
- Eight training sessions. A variety of experts provide tailored training and tools that both equip your team for success, and address the specific goals and needs outlined in your community revitalization strategy;
- Mini-grant funding to support the implementation of a project identified in the community revitalization strategy, and access to funding information that leads to further investments;
- Direct coaching support during the planning and training process during the first year, and then continued connection to resources, and support in overcoming challenges as needed.
