The Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference Awards Selection Committee is now seeking nominations of real southern West Virginia success stories. Successful communities, groups, organizations, and individuals are all encouraged to apply. 

The selected nominees will be honored at the 2021 conference in November with a Power of Performance Award. The conference partners, including the Alliance for Economic Development in Southern West Virginia, Coalfield Development Corporation, and the WV Community Development Hub, are looking to highlight innovative and passionate projects during the Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference. The event will allow professionals, community leaders, students and experts to share their unique perspectives on southern West Virginia successes.

Power of Performance honorees can either be an individual, employer, nonprofit, organization or institution that is doing something remarkable in Southern West Virginia. They are making positive things happen in their neighborhoods, communities, and across the state. The awards selection team is looking to highlight success stories within the following 21-county region: Boone, Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh, Summers, Wayne, Webster and Wyoming counties.

Thought leaders with a strong grasp of these areas of work are encouraged to submit their success story on their preferred topic. The topics include:

• Putting People to Work: Are you involved in a project that is helping to put people to work? Share your story, whether it is through training, connecting workers with existing jobs or hiring workers for your new start up, we want to know how you are helping to connect potential employees with job opportunities. This conference wants to showcase successful workforce programs that are connecting the dots between employers and the workforce as well as employers who are hiring.
• Revitalizing Communities: Are you working to help revitalize your community? Share your story, whether you are organizing a recycling program, building more housing, or implementing a community led project, we want to learn how you or your business or organization is helping to redevelop and grow your community.
• Changing Lives: Are you or your organization helping West Virginians lead more productive and/or healthier lives? Whether it is through offering support services, unique educational opportunities, counseling or mentoring, we want to hear from you. We are interested in learning more about your successful program that is helping to lift individuals out of poverty, giving individuals a second chance on being productive adults, and/or equipping West Virginians with vital training and resources.

If you’d like to nominate a remarkable changemaker, you can find the form here.

The 2021 Small Communities, BIG Solutions Conference will be held virtually November 15-18. You can learn more about the conference and purchase tickets here.