Client Spotlight: New Economy Works WV

Client: New Economy Works WV

Project/Grant Application Lead: Mavery Davis

Funding Received: $2,000

Funding Organization: Appalachian Community Fund

The WV Grant Resource Centers’ Client Spotlight series is a monthly feature highlighting the incredible work our clients are doing to secure local, federal, and private funding to empower their communities and economies. See all previous Client Spotlights here.

This month, the Grant Centers’ Client Spotlight is shining on New Economy Works West Virginia Co-op (NEW WV), a Kanawha County-based nonprofit that guides “self-governing cooperative businesses” and aims to make financing more accessible and approachable for all West Virginians.

Mavery Davis, NEW WV’s Director of Lending, said he first learned about the Grant Centers’ free services at a networking event and reached out on behalf of the co-op. Once established as a client, the NEW WV team received grant writing support tailored to their needs and goals. 

“My experience working with the Grant Centers’ team has been and continues to be a level of comfort and stress relief that I need when it comes to attracting financial resources to the work we do,” Davis said. “We received assistance reviewing and assessing eligibility requirements for different grants, support in writing the narratives and organizing budgets to fit cohesively with the full proposal. We also do a lot of brainstorming on different funding opportunities that have potential to be a good fit for our work.”

Getting the grant

In May, NEW WV was awarded a $2,000 grant from the Appalachian Community Fund to support the team’s travel and attendance for two conferences to further staff knowledge and sector connections. With the ACF grant, the NEW WV would have not one, but two valuable opportunities to connect with and learn from similar organizations. 

Throughout their collaboration with the Grant Centers, Davis said the NEW WV team has been able to hone their collective grant writing skills.

 “We would not have had the capacity or grant writing skills to accomplish this without the support of the Grant Centers’ team,” Davis said.

Davis, who has worked extensively with Brittany Chaber, a grant writer at the Grant Centers, expressed appreciation for Chaber’s thorough and thoughtful approach when navigating the nuanced aspects of the grant writing process. 

“Brittany is a joy and delight to work with,” Davis said. “She is organized where I am not. She is patient when I am unclear. She is effective in cultivating and strengthening partner relationships. We absolutely love her!”

Understanding industry trends and the ability of meeting clients where they are in the development process are both critical aspects to ensuring the organization’s future success. 

“It is essential that our team at NEW WV have training and exposure to cooperative education and networks to be in the most informed and best position to direct business technical assistance and capital into projects here in West Virginia,” Davis said. “When we are able to see, touch and feel solutions others have found, that provides both inspiration to continue working towards solutions locally as well as provides the opportunity to network and collaborate with subject matter experts who can help further those initiatives.” 

What’s next for NEW WV

Davis said the NEW WV team will also continue pursuing grant funding opportunities that align with their focus areas.

“On the horizon for NEW WV is applying for more grants to support our general operating activities, staff, training, business education resources, etc. as well as grants focused on specific projects such as a Food Supply & Distribution Hub with an aim to bring local small restaurants and food growers together in a way that helps them to streamline and sustain profits within their individual and collective operations.”

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