Archived Awards Content
Awards issued prior to 2025 represent actions taken during previous administrations and do not necessarily reflect current investment priorities.
New River Gorge Regional Development Authority
Country Roads Angel Network
Beckley, WV
Seed Fund Support
Federal Share: $194,672.00
Local Match: $194,672.00
Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN), a program supported by the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority, will address the gap in access to capital in West Virginia and provide support to early-stage innovation-based companies. Without crucial access to capital, job growth and rural economic development will continue to fall behind the rise in prosperity of the rest of the country. There is a significant entrepreneurial movement taking place within West Virginia, as dedicated West Virginians have made it their mission to rebuild a devastated state, impacted by the downturn of the coal industry. Entrepreneurial support programs have now formed throughout the state and are making a positive impact by supporting entrepreneurs, to provide them with education and resources to improve their chance for success. Over the three-year project, Country Roads Angel Network is expected to bring at least $2 million from 40 potential private investors, creating at least 25 jobs, and launching 8-12 new and existing innovation-based businesses and community-based, social-impact businesses, ultimately creating new job opportunities in West Virginia.