VCEDA Approves up to $500,000 Grant to SWCC Educational Foundation for Workforce Development
Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel, presents a ceremonial check to the SWCC Educational Foundation for workforce development and training to Susan Lowe, SWCC Educational Foundation Director; and Dr. Mark Estepp, SWCC president.
The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) closed on Nov. 15 an up to $500,000 grant to the Southwest Virginia Community College Educational Foundation to be used for workforce development and training at Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC).
The funds will be used to provide scholarships to students in emerging workforce fields such as information technology, unmanned aerial systems, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing. The grant also makes funding available to administer National Career Readiness Certification testing to students still in high school or at SWCC who are interested in earning a trade or IT certification to immediately transfer to the workforce upon graduation and completion of the testing. The students must be residents of the seven-county, one-city coalfield region served by VCEDA.
“Being able to demonstrate our workforce capabilities to various companies considering locations in our region is an important step in our efforts to further diversify our economic base.”
Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel
To read more about the grant:
Sweet Thang Pastries & Restaurant Receives VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant
Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director/General Counsel, second from right, presents a ceremonial check representing the seed capital match grant funding being provided to Noreen Fleming, left, and her mother, Carol Wright, for Sweet Thang Pastries and Restaurant in Clintwood, expected to open in December. Also pictured, far right, is Clintwood Mayor Donald Baker.
Sweet Thang Pastries and Restaurant LLC in Clintwood, a new business that is expected to open in December, has received a $15,000 VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant. Mother-daughter team Noreen Fleming and Carol Wright say the seed capital grant is helping them with their long-time dream of opening a business.
Under this new VCEDA funding program, the dollar-for-dollar matching seed capital grants are designed for businesses three years and under with less than 10 full-time employees. Applicants work with the Small Business Development Centers at Mountain Empire and Southwest Virginia community colleges to prepare the applications submitted to VCEDA for consideration. Fleming and Wright worked with Margie Douglass, director of the Small Business Development Center at Southwest Virginia Community College.
Using fresh ingredients, no substitutes and no preservatives, the pastries, cookies, candy and meals cooked at Sweet Thang will be 100 percent pure, Wright says, adding whenever possible, they plan to use produce from local USDA certified growers.
To read more about Sweet Thang Pastries & Restaurant.
Roberts Mill Suites LLC in Scott County Approved for Seed Capital Matching Grant
VCEDA presents the ceremonial check for the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant to Roberts Mill Suites LLC. In photo, from left, John Kilgore, executive director of the Scott County Economic Development Authority; Vickie Roberts, co-owner of Roberts Mills Suites LLC; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel; and Tim Blankenbecler, director of the Small Business Development Center at Mountain Empire Community College.
Roberts Mill Suites LLC is a new business in downtown Gate City that will offer much needed rental lodging for out-of-town guests or tourists, say the owners of this small business that recently was approved for up to a $15,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Seed Capital Matching Grant.
Roberts Mill Suites will offer three apartments for rent through the online Airbnb booking service for rental lodging on the upper level of a building on West Jackson Street in Gate City, and retail space for rent on the street level.