Making West Virginia’s communities viable, energetic and economically sustainable is the mission of our Community & Economic Development efforts. Primary focus areas are community development and revitalization, regional and local economic development, and small business development. Our current initiatives include: Downtown Revitalization, Historic Preservation, Green Projects, Community Gardens, Small Business Development & Support, Economic Sustainability, Non-profit Development, Economic Analysis, Disaster Preparedness, and Tourism.
 

COVID-19 Resources for Businesses & Communities

We have compiled and are continuously revising a list of resources for communities and businesses looking to reopen.

Community Development & Revitalization
We work with communities to revitalize their downtown areas by improving vitality, facilitating needs assessments, strategic planning, workshops and meetings, funding research, property redevelopment uses, community clean-ups and more. 
 
Micro-Enterprise & Small Business Development
We continually support small business development, retention and expansion efforts with emphasis on artisan and the creative economy sectors. Services include incubation, mentoring, access to capital assistance, entrepreneur training, management strategies, marketing, counseling on collaborative development, business plan assessment and strategies for expansion. 
 
Regional & Local Economic Development
We help communities develop strategic plans for regional economic projects, work with businesses to determine linkages and development strategies for stabilizing existing market share and developing growth strategies.
 
We have staff members and programs at various locations throughout central and southern West Virginia, including Kanawha, Fayette, Logan and Raleigh counties. Visit the Locations section below for the extension agent nearest you.
 

Our Team