WV Community Development Hub

04/28/2026

Communities in Hub programs leveraged an additional $676,375 from outside sources in 2025, expanding the impact of Hub-supported projects.

What it means: These are additional funds communities secured from external sources, outside of The Hub, to support their projects.

Why it matters: This demonstrates a ripple effect in that The Hub’s support helps communities attract and unlock additional investment.

To view the full 2025 Impact Report visit https://wvhub.org/impact/ 💪

04/15/2026

Can you guess where in the world our Hub staff are this week?? 🌍✈️

Over half of The Hub’s team members are on the move! We're traveling to learn, gather, speak, and connect with partners and communities across the country. We’re showing up, learning from our peers, sharing what we know, and bringing back fresh ideas to strengthen our work here in West Virginia.

Take a scroll to catch some snapshots of our team out and about 📸👇 (Swipe to the last slide to say hi to a WV celebrity!!)

📍Stacy & Brianna - Main Street Now Conference in Tulsa, OK
📍Erin - America's Service Commissions National Service Training in Austin, TX
📍Heather, Amanda, & Grace - Appalachia Funders Network Gathering in Ashland, KY
📍Katie, Gabe, & Emma - Central Appalachian Network Convening in Huntington, WV
📍Amanda - Williamson Accelerate Team Meeting in Williamson, WV

04/13/2026

04/09/2026

THRIVE Corps Summer Associate Cohort will lead the completion of short-term capacity building projects that will lay a meaningful foundation for long-term capacity building in projects that work to end generational poverty in West Virginia and Central Appalachia. A variety of opportunities will be available for the THRIVE Corps Summer Associate Cohort in geographies across West Virginia. This is a great way to enter the nonprofit and Economic Development workforce! Members receive a stipend of $4000 for 9 weeks of service, as well as a prorated Education or Cash Award for successful completion.

☀ Apply today!

https://bit.ly/3PZia7M

04/01/2026

We are so grateful to have added capacity through The Hub’s AmeriCorps VISTA program, THRIVE Corps. Our most recent addition to the team is Mary Tierney! Mary joins us as the Community Coaching Program Coordinator VISTA. They’ve already added so much to our team and we’re excited for everyone to meet them.

🌟 Tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at The Hub.
I grew up in Lincoln County and spent my middle and high school years commuting to Charleston - living in this in-between roots my passion for community organizing and development work in Appalachia. As a holler kid I am quite familiar with how rural areas pull off the impossible on a daily basis to meet the needs of their communities. My role at the Hub as the Accelerate Community Coaching Programs Coordinator VISTA opens the door to what I know is my heartwork - centering the voices and experiences of community leaders in rural West Virginia.

🌟 What Hub value do you connect with the most and why?
My heart is at its fullest when I am a part of impactful work in Appalachia. The value of supporting leadership in rural communities reflects my core belief that the answers to most questions, especially ones about effective community organizing practices, have already been answered by community leaders in the hills and hollers of West Virginia. I believe that community development initiatives have an inherent responsibility to seek beyond the washed out roads for those answers and a willingness to hear hard truths from under-resourced areas. The WV Community Development Hub is an incredible model of what is possible with an organizational commitment to this work.

🌟 What is your coffee order?
Chai!

03/25/2026

In 2025, through Hub-supported programs, communities received $405,400 program dollars to advance locally driven projects.

What it means: This represents funding that communities secured directly through programs and support provided by The Hub.

Why it matters: It shows The Hub’s role in helping communities turn ideas into projects, increasing local capacity.

To view the full 2025 Impact Report visit https://wvhub.org/impact/ 💪

03/19/2026

Dream big for your town! Responsive Coaching helps communities set goals, engage residents, and plan for a vibrant future. Start the conversation today. 💪

Learn more at https://wvhub.org/responsive-coaching/

03/17/2026

The West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Centers are invaluable partners! Their work makes a huge difference in our communities across West Virginia. Our friend, Mark Buchanan is an important piece of that work!

⭐ What is your favorite part of working with SBAC?
Aside from the opportunity to engage in meaningful work, my favorite part of working at the WVBAC is my coworkers. We are spread across the state in separate offices but manage to work together seamlessly when the situation dictates. Everyone brings a different set of skills/strengths to the table. Knowledge and experiences are shared freely AS IS THE OCCASIONAL RIBBING.

⭐ Why are you interested in economic development in West Virginia?
While the majority of my work has been in the environmental/conservation field, working in the brownfield arena has made me more aware of the economic struggles West Virginia communities face. Brownfields are a unique opportunity for communities to pursue economic development by recycling properties and land; ultimately protecting the communities’ natural resources. I love that our work supports that part of the process.

⭐ What are you most excited about working on right now?
There are a couple projects that stand out for me right now… the work we are doing in Mason County at Krodel Park is intriguing because the site offers great reuse potential if the environmental concerns can be mitigated. I’m also closely involved with the opening of a public recycling drop-off facility in Huntington. The site is an old, abandoned brownfield that will become the permanent location for the county’s recycling/sustainability efforts when it opens in March.

⭐ How do you like your coffee?
I like my coffee the way I like my mornings – dark, strong, and capable of solving the problems I created the day before…Haha but I’ll settle for cream and sugar.

03/12/2026

The Hub is accepting Letters of Intent from March 4–27, 2026 for organizations interested in hosting a project through THRIVE Corps, its AmeriCorps VISTA program. Up to seven new projects will be selected to receive capacity-building support from dedicated service members working to end generational poverty in West Virginia communities from 2026–2029.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, and local or state agencies seeking to grow sustainable programs that expand economic opportunity and strengthen communities. Organizations working in economic opportunity, healthy futures, education, veterans and military families, or environmental stewardship are encouraged to apply, particularly in regions already served by The Hub. Interested sites may consult with THRIVE Corps staff before submitting a Letter of Intent, which is due March 27 at 5 p.m. EST, with invited applicants notified by March 30.

For more information please contact Heather Shifflett, THRIVE Corps VISTA Leader, at [email protected] or 304-533-1077 ext 1014.

03/05/2026

In 2025, The Hub embraced a year of change and growth.

Across West Virginia, we coached, supported, and connected, empowering leaders and communities to take action together. From a podcast in Wayne to a motel conversion in Kimball, to a documentary watch party on Charleston’s West Side, we celebrated wins both big and small.

We’re proud to share our 2025 Impact Report and the story of what we’re building together.

📖 Read the full report: https://wvhub.org/impact/