SWVA Opportunity
Opportunity Appalachia today announced selection of 16 projects to participate in a program to bring jobs, business support, and investment to Central Appalachia. The selected projects propose to create over 1,800 jobs and attract over $365 million in financing to develop manufacturing facilities, downtown development, tech business, agricultural facilities, hotels, […]
As we collectively navigate the uncertainty of the recent health crisis, Opportunity SWVA is committed to supporting our Southwest Virginia startups and small businesses during this time. This situation is fluid and changes day by day. We have compiled a list of resources below to keep you informed and help […]
The Forbes OZ 20: Top Opportunity Zone Catalysts, a partnership between the Sorenson Impact Center and Forbes, have today (December 12, 2019) announced a new list recognizing community organizations and OZ Funds that are committed to achieving equitable economic growth in underserved and overlooked communities throughout the country. We are […]
By Andrew Barnes As a part of an ongoing effort to diversify and invigorate the economy of Southwest Virginia, an organization devoted to community and small business development has focused successfully in recent years on a program designed to encourage investment in and promotion of the unique cultural and outdoor […]
FriendsofSWVA.org is your home base for branding, marketing, and development tools for communities and businesses in Southwest Virginia. Learn how the Friends of Southwest Virginia team can help you in your community and economic development goals. Download SWVA brand tools for your business or community. Order SWVA merchandise at wholesale prices. Reach out to […]
Nearly sixty locally owned restaurants range from iconic hamburger stands to Appalachian regional dining The Clinch River Valley, long identified as home to one of the most biodiverse river systems in North America, is also the setting for a wide range of authentic local dining experiences. The collaborative Clinch River […]
The town of Narrows is the first community in the New River Valley to participate in the new Rally Southwest Virginia mini-grant program, facilitated by Opportunity SWVA. The program provides a $3,000 award to implement a community development project through a team structure. The Narrows team is comprised of citizens, […]
On April 12, 2016, My SWVA Opportunity partners hosted a seminar instructing community stakeholders on how to successfully launch an entrepreneur business plan competition. The free workshop provided insight on successful regional competitions, the benefits of competitions from the challengers’ perspective, best practices and steps to organize a competition, and […]
Virginia Velocity is recruiting early-stage entrepreneurs for the Virginia Velocity Tour. The Virginia Velocity Tour is part of Governor McAuliffe’s Virginia Velocity business plan competition, which launched last year to spur entrepreneurship in the Commonwealth. From September 19-23, the tour bus will travel to five regions across Virginia (Roanoke, Richmond, […]
The competition graduates 15 businesses and awards $35,000 to top performers The My Southwest Virginia Opportunity Cup, led by the collaborative My Southwest Virginia Opportunity effort, came to a close on Nov. 4, 2015 with an awards ceremony and announcement of winners in the regional business competition. Entrepreneurs and citizens […]