Grant expected to bolster regional economic development initiative
Friends of Southwest Virginia has received a $127,000 grant from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission to support a regional initiative focused on creative economy development and outdoor recreation business recruitment.
This funding provides critical matching support that allows Friends of Southwest Virginia to leverage nearly $1.1 million in federal investment from the Appalachian Regional Commission, enabling a comprehensive regional effort to strengthen Southwest Virginia’s creative economy and outdoor recreation industries.
Together, these investments will support several major initiatives designed to guide long-term economic growth across the region. This work includes conducting a comprehensive asset inventory and economic impact study of Southwest Virginia’s creative economy, which will measure the full contribution of outdoor recreation, the arts, music, cultural heritage, and related creative industries to the regional economy.
The project will also support the development of a 10-year Creative Economy Master Plan that will identify priority growth areas and establish a coordinated strategy for long-term investment, business recruitment, and regional collaboration.
As part of this initiative, Friends of Southwest Virginia will create a regional Creative Economy Dashboard designed to provide real-time data on visitation trends, spending, job creation, and private investment across Southwest Virginia. The dashboard will serve as a decision-making tool for local governments, economic developers, and community partners by generating stakeholder reports and supporting data-driven planning.
In addition, the initiative will lay the groundwork for a regional Outdoor Recreation Manufacturing Initiative aimed at attracting and supporting outdoor recreation-related businesses across Southwest Virginia. The project will also include organizational business planning for Friends of Southwest Virginia to ensure the long-term capacity and structure needed to lead regional creative economy development.
Together, these efforts position Southwest Virginia as a nationally competitive region where culture, outdoor recreation, and heritage assets drive job creation, entrepreneurship, and community vitality.
“Friends of Southwest Virginia is deeply grateful to the Virginia Tobacco Commission for its continued investment in the future of our region,” said Kim Davis, executive director of Friends of Southwest Virginia. “By providing critical matching support, the Commission is helping us leverage significant federal funding and build the strategy, data infrastructure, and partnerships needed to strengthen Southwest Virginia’s creative economy and outdoor recreation sectors.”
Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks as the initiative moves forward. For the most up-to-date information, visit FriendsofSWVA.org.
