The West Virginia Community Development Hub has played a central role in building statewide community development capacity, first by increasing the competitiveness of community-led projects for federal Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) initiative grants and, more recently, as a key partner in developing the community investment ecosystem. The Hub was formed in 2009 to coach community leaders and connect them with resources to spark positive change in their hometowns. Engagement in the regional ecosystem and national networks sharpened The Hub’s focus on deepening connections between investment ecosystem actors in West Virginia. They led a process to define best practices and long-term outcomes for the state’s community development field, with short-term and long-term indicators for success. Working with local teams, they now leverage technical expertise and blended investment to accelerate community projects, from abandoned school reuse to recreational development to downtown redevelopment. Since 2019, The Hub has facilitated the development of a Community Collaborative Network that includes more than 50 community organizations, CDFIs, universities, government agencies, foundations, banks, and other partners working together to strengthen an inclusive community development system for West Virginia.

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