Manchin, Capito Announce Funding For New River Gorge Regional Development Authority's WV Hive Network

Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $50,000 from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s (NRGRDA) West Virginia Hive Network as part of its Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) program, which aims to spur investment in underrepresented communities.

“Small businesses and entrepreneurs play an essential role in West Virginia’s economy, and I am thrilled SBA is investing in the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s West Virginia Hive Network. This program works directly with entrepreneurs, especially in underrepresented communities, to grow successful businesses located in West Virginia,” Senator Manchin said. “I look forward to seeing the impact this funding will have on our regional economies, and I will continue to advocate for funding to spur business growth and development in the Mountain State.”

 

“The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority’s WV Hive Network plays a key role in supporting businesses and creating jobs in the area,” Senator Capito said. “This funding announcement reaffirms that what this entrepreneurship program has done is working, and that it is having a positive impact in southern West Virginia. I want to congratulate their entire team and I’m confident these resources will help build on the increase in tourism and economic activity we’ve seen in the region surrounding the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.”

The WV Hive was the only West Virginia grantee selected, marking the second time the organization has received this funding. The winners come from 48 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia, and have been awarded based on their proposals for innovative ideas that inclusively support entrepreneurs researching and developing STEM-related innovations.