Downtown Revitalization

Thriving downtowns is an essential piece of prosperous rural communities. Years of declining population, loss of industry, and outmigration have left many small Appalachian communities devastated economically. Given the pride and entrepreneurial energy in these communities, there is great potential to turn good ideas into viable projects with the partnership of organizations offering financial and technical skills and helping to build the capacity needed to redevelop these distressed downtown areas.

about the DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION group

The Downtown Revitalization Group’s mission is to help support downtown revitalization efforts across the Central Appalachian region by providing capacity building support to committed local stakeholders in their efforts to attract resources and technical expertise that can transform their distressed downtown markets into livable and economically viable centers of commerce that contribute to the quality of life for area residents.

Learn more about the Downtown Revitalization Group’s role in the publishing of “Thriving Downtowns: An Investment Playbook for Rural Appalachia” here.

next DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION GROUP Meeting

May 14, 2024 from 3:00pm-4:30pm ET

This meeting recurs bi-monthly on the 2nd Tuesday at 3:00pm.

AFN Members Only

Members

Group Co-Chair:

Baylen Campbell, Invest Appalachia

Jeff Mansour, Thompson Charitable Foundation

Mary Fant Donnan, Alleghany Foundation

Geoff Marietta, Appalachian Impact Fund

Bill Woodrum, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

Nicole Intagliata, Fahe

Drew Pritchard, Fahe

Peter Dolkart, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Sarah Deal, Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

Zack Hall, Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

Kathy King Allen, Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky

Todd Dorcas, The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation

Kate Keller, The Harvest Foundation

Group Participants:

Emma Wyatt, The Innovate Fund

Andrew Crosson, Invest Appalachia

Deb Markley, LOCUS Impact Investing

Peter Hille, Mountain Association

Les Roll, Mountain Association

Christa Vinson, Rural LISC

Kim Albright, SOAR

Colby Hall, SOAR

Renee Margocee, Tamarack Foundation

Robby Moore, Tamarack Foundation

Kandi Workman, Tamarack Foundation