One of CVED’s primary areas of focus is community development and revitalization. They work closely with communities to revitalize downtown areas by improving vitality, facilitating needs assessments, strategic planning, workshops and meetings, funding research, property redevelopment uses, community clean-ups and more.

CVED also supports small business development, retention and expansion efforts. They provide various services to entrepreneurs, such as incubation, mentoring, access to capital assistance, management strategies, marketing, counseling on collaborative development, business plan assessment and strategy for expansion.

Furthermore, CVED helps communities develop strategic plans for regional economic projects and works with businesses to determine linkages and development strategies for stabilizing existing market share and developing growth strategies.

The CVED department has staff members and programs at various central and southern WV locations, including Kanawha, Fayette, Logan and Raleigh counties.