Save Our Towns

ADAM WELLS New Economy Program Coordinator Appalachian Voices Phone: 276- 679-1691 Email: Adam@appvoices.org     Do you think community organizing or engagement is important because of the need to write grants? I think the community organizing aspect of economic development in small towns is critical. So many funders now are looking for an engaged population… Continue Reading Tap into the power of an active community

TARAH KESTERSON Public Relations Manager Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy Phone: 276-523-8146 Email: tarah.kesterson@dmme.virginia.gov     What resources does the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy have for leaders in small towns? We have a ton have resources available through our website – it’s www.DMME.virginia.gov. You’ll look under mapping resources, and there you can… Continue Reading Assistance in learning the lay of the land

BASIL GOODEN Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry State of Virginia       What can the USDA do for small towns? USDA Rural Development is actually in the business of developing small towns, whether economically, addressing human resources in their town or job creation. USDA Rural Development has a plethora of tools that we can… Continue Reading What the USDA can do for small towns

JOHN ACCORDINO Dean, L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs Virginia Commonwealth University Phone: (804) 827-0776 Email: jaccordi@vcu.edu   What is the most important thing for a mayor or town manager to know? One is there’s no substitute for good information. It’s worth taking the time to figure out and make sure you have… Continue Reading Why two words – ‘target’ and ‘focus’ – are vital

      Digital demands in rural schools AMY PRICE AZANO Assistant Professor of Adolescent Literacy, School of Education A rural Virginia native, Azano has a strong commitment to research and service in Appalachia. She is currently working under a U.S. Department of Education grant to work with rural school districts in Virginia to identify… Continue Reading VT Projects

WAYNE WALDROP Small Business Lending Manager Virginia Community Capital Phone: (804)344-5484 Email: wwaldrop@ccva.org     Do a lot of town managers, mayors know you even exist? Well we think some do but we’d like for more people to know about our organization. What does your organization do that’s a value to this group? We work… Continue Reading How small businesses loans help small towns flourish

LIZ POVAR Former Vice President for Business Expansion Virginia Economic Development Partnership       What is the most important thing for a local elected official to keep in mind about economic development? Economic development is a business driven decision, so at the end of the day, it’s all about where that company can make… Continue Reading What every small town mayor needs to know about economic development

RANDY ROSE Development Specialist Virginia Tourism Corporation Phone: (276) 322-2044 Email: rrose@virginia.org     What do you find a lot of mayors in small towns don’t know? Well there are a number of services through various agencies state, federal, local agencies and from the tourism standpoint specifically, we have a number of services. We’re well… Continue Reading 3 Ways to identify and capitalize on your town’s greatest tourism assets

JODY KEENAN State Director Virginia Small Business Development Center Email: jkeenan@gmu.edu     What can a mayor or other elected official expect to receive from your services? The Small Business Development Centers are located throughout; we are available to help small companies grow and expand, and to solve business issues. We’re also a resource for entrepreneurs… Continue Reading How to identify and leverage entrepreneurial opportunities