WV Division Of Economic Development

WV Division Of Economic Development, doing business as West Virginia Development Office, is a state government entity that administers federal grant awards to local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community action agencies across West Virginia, functioning as a pass-through recipient rather than a prime contractor or vendor. The agency has received 263 federal grant awards totaling $2.29 billion in combined obligations since 2004, with all awards held at the prime recipient level; the organization operates as a child entity of the State of West Virginia.

The customer concentration reflects a strong public-sector and community-development footprint. The top five funding agencies account for 83 percent of recent awards, anchored by the Department of the Interior National Park Service National Office (97 awards), the Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development (66 awards), and the Department of the Interior National Park Service (26 awards). The Appalachian Regional Commission (18 awards) and the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (10 awards) round out the active set. Awards split across two federal grant program families: land and water conservation, outdoor recreation, and housing assistance on the HUD and Interior side, and workforce development, economic development, and poverty-reduction services on the community services and regional development side.

The agency's grant portfolio centers on formula grants and project grants for community development and public benefit. Representative work includes a $159.2 million Appalachian Area Development program grant (CFDA 23.002) from the Appalachian Regional Commission for community infrastructure, water and sewer improvements, broadband expansion, park development, and workforce programs across West Virginia (June 2024 through May 2027); a $12.32 million Community Services Block Grant (CFDA 93.569) from HHS Office of Community Services for anti-poverty and community development services delivered through 17 community action agencies (October 2025 through September 2027); a $9.01 million State Digital Equity Planning and Capacity Grant (CFDA 11.032) from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to implement West Virginia's statewide digital equity plan (December 2024 through November 2029); and an $1.85 million Rural Housing and Economic Development grant (CFDA 14.250) from HUD for capacity-building and housing initiatives in rural areas (May 2026 through September 2035). The agency also administers Land and Water Conservation Fund grants from the National Park Service, managing multiple park and recreation facility improvement projects statewide, including splash pads, playgrounds, trail systems, and pool renovations across dozens of municipalities.

Activity shows growth into 2024 before a recent decline: 18 awards in 2022, 30 in 2023, 35 in 2024, 14 in 2025, and 2 in the first part of 2026. Seventeen awards carry ultimate completion dates within the next twenty-four months, representing annual recompete opportunity. The West Virginia Development Office distributes federal funds to local implementation entities—towns, cities, counties, park commissions, and nonprofit service providers—as the designated state pass-through and steward of programs spanning housing, homelessness prevention, workforce training, emergency services, broadband deployment, and outdoor recreation infrastructure. This administrative and grant-management role positions the agency as a critical funnel for federal dollars into rural and economically distressed Appalachian communities across West Virginia.