Appalachian Power awards $57,500 in economic development grants

Appalachian Power awarded a total of $57,500 to nine Virginia organizations through the energy company’s Economic Development Growth Enhancement (EDGE) program, the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance (SVRA) announced Friday.

SVRA was awarded $16,500 for marketing materials and videos of the southern region and regional mega-sites.

“We are thankful for the support that Appalachian Power provides to our area and for this grant funding to market the region,” SVRA Board Chair Mark Gignac said in a statement. “We value their ongoing support of the electric infrastructure that provides high quality and cost-effective pricing to attract and retain jobs in our region.”

Other recipients included Roanoke County Economic Development Office, which was awarded $15,000 for a new comprehensive and strategic economic plan; Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, which received $10,000 for a regional employer wage and benefit study; Scott County Economic Development Authority, which received $8,500 to develop a new master plan for the Weber City Riverside Tech Business Park; First Regional Industrial Facility Authority, which received $7,500 to market the New River Valley Commerce Park.

Launched in 2014, Appalachian Power’s EDGE program annually awards grants to eligible nonprofits and regional economic development organizations to support local economic development efforts ranging from site development and strategic planning to marketing. A total of $125,000 was distributed among nine organizations in Virginia and West Virginia. The company has donated more than $1 million in EDGE grants since its inception.

“We enjoy a close working relationship with the local and regional economic development organizations in our service area,” said Brad Hall, Appalachian Power external affairs vice president. “The EDGE Grant program is an opportunity to express our support for the great work they are doing to bring about new jobs and investment.”