WV Small Business Development Center – Parkersburg
The Mid-Ohio Valley is fortunate to have not one, but two small business coaches. One coach is located in the City of Parkersburg’s Development Office, while the other is located at West Virginia University at Parkersburg. These outstanding business coaches, with real world experience, can connect you to valuable resources, including SBA’s many small business loan opportunities. For more information on the WV Small Business Development Center, please click here.
For more information on the WV Small Business Development Center, please click here.
- If you need assistance growing your small business (<499 employees), please contact Lisha Conny in the Parkersburg Development Office at 304.424.8518 or email Lisha.M.Conny@wv.gov.
- If you are thinking about starting a new business and don’t know where to begin, please contact Marsa Myers at West Virginia University at Parkersburg at 304-424-8213 or email C.Myers@wv.gov.
Wood County Development Authority
The WCDA is the business retention, expansion and attraction arm for the City of Parkersburg and Wood County. They have been integral to significant projects like the retention of Highmark West Virginia in Downtown Parkersburg and the attraction of the Hino Motors (a subsidiary of Toyota) to our area. The roundtable group is also highly engaged in ongoing efforts to bring the polyethylene cracker plant to Wood County. It’s estimated that this $4 billion investment would create hundreds of high-paying jobs, as well as mid and downstream development opportunities. Find out more here.
Mid-Ohio Valley Chamber of Commerce
A valuable business institution in Parkersburg, the primary focus of the MOV Chamber of Commerce is to assist business growth in an increasingly global and interconnected environment. They provide a variety of services that build social/business networks, promote professional development and increase a business’ visibility through varied marketing efforts. For more information about the Chamber of Commerce, please click here.
Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Council
The MOVRC has established several revolving loan funds designed to assist small businesses with a variety of issues, including cash flow, capital investments, etc. Loans can vary in size, depending the program and businesses capacity to repay the debt. To learn more about MOVRC’s loan programs and view an application, please click here.
Downtown PKB
A non-profit organization committed to rejuvenating downtown Parkersburg, the Downtown PKB organization spearheads a variety of events, including the Taste of Parkersburg and Point Park Concert Series. Four working committees meet on a monthly basis. They include business outreach, promotion, organization and design. For more information on this dynamic organization, or how you can help create a more vibrant downtown Parkersburg community, please click here.
WV Department of Commerce
This organization oversees a variety of programs and initiatives, including the WV Housing Development Fund (link here), Office of Economic Opportunity (link here) and commercial/industrial development sites. For more information on the organization itself, click here.
Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government. Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC is composed of the governors of the 13 Appalachian states and a federal co-chair, who is appointed by the president. Local participation is provided through multi-county local development districts.
ARC funds projects that address the four goals identified in the Commission’s strategic plan.
Those four goals are:
• Increase job opportunities and per capita income in Appalachia to reach parity with the nation.
• Strengthen the capacity of the people of Appalachia to compete in the global economy.
• Develop and improve Appalachia’s infrastructure to make the Region economically competitive.
• Build the Appalachian Development Highway System to reduce Appalachia’s isolation.
Each year ARC provides funding for several hundred projects in the Appalachian Region, in areas such as business development, education and job training, telecommunications, infrastructure, community development, housing, and transportation. These projects create thousands of new jobs; improve local water and sewer systems; increase school readiness; expand access to health care; assist local communities with strategic planning; and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses. For more information on this organization, click here.
