Southwest Virginia received financial support from the state capital in recent weeks.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger celebrated a $7.2 million federal disaster-recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Sept. 25 to expand childcare in communities across Southwest Virginia. The grant will increase childcare capacity and strengthen workforce participation in Washington County. Abingdon-based EO Companies will implement the new projects, which are expected to create more than 55 new jobs and expand access for nearly 450 children.
“Childcare is workforce infrastructure, and for rural communities like ours, it is essential to our ability to grow and compete,” State Sen. Todd Pillion said. “When working parents cannot find dependable, high-quality care, employers feel it, families feel it, and our communities lose opportunities for growth.”
Just before Labor Day, the Virginia governor’s office announced the recommendation of 19 projects and letters of intent for 3 projects totaling over $8.3 million through the 2026 Virginia Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) program. These efforts support infrastructure improvements, job creation, small-business support, downtown revitalization and workforce development across the Appalachian Highlands.
The recommended projects will reportedly collectively serve 1,240 businesses, provide 11,500 households with new or improved infrastructure and create 58 jobs across the region. A press release claimed the projects “reflect immediate community priorities and long-term regional goals, positioning Southwest Virginia for sustained economic resilience, increased private-sector opportunity, and continued quality-of-life improvements.”
“With these new investments, we are strengthening the foundations of local economies, expanding workforce opportunities and good-paying jobs, and improving the quality of life for families across Southwest Virginia,” Spanberger said.
Established in 1965, the ARC program assists the region in achieving economic parity reflective of the nation’s overall economic growth. The Virginia ARC region encompasses 25 counties and eight independent cities in Southwest Virginia, including Bristol.
“These ARC awards reflect the Commonwealth’s commitment to advancing long-term, durable economic development throughout Southwest Virginia,” Secretary of Commerce and Trade Carrie Chenery explained.
A day after the ARC release, the governor announced $7.3 million in strategic investments through the Virginia Energy Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program. The five awards will advance economic and community development in coal-impacted communities in Southwest Virginia through investments in job creation, healthcare, emergency services, transportation infrastructure and improvements at UVA Wise.
The AMLER Program helps coal-impacted communities turn former mine lands into productive opportunities that support new businesses, infrastructure, tourism, workforce development and long-term economic growth.
U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith applauded the move, adding that “Southwest Virginia deserves investments that create jobs, strengthen public services and support the communities that have powered our Commonwealth and nation for generations. These AMLER awards will help communities across the region advance projects that improve quality of life and create a stronger foundation for future economic development.”
Griffith visited the Bristol Chamber of Commerce Sept. 4 for discussions about economic development, inflation, tariffs, the national debt and more. The Business Journal attended and spoke to him on the aforementioned topics.
