WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced funding from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as the Economic Development Administration (EDA), Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), the National institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to support public health, economic development, and law enforcement well-being projects in West Virginia.

ARC FUNDING: Senator Capito, Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, secured funding from the ARC for a number of local infrastructure, education, and economic development projects in West Virginia.

“West Virginia is home to countless local organizations making a positive impact in our communities,” Ranking Member Capito said. “The grants announced today are aimed at strengthening our workforce, improving internet access, supporting educational opportunities, and so much more throughout our state. As the top Republican on the EPW Committee, which oversees the Appalachian Regional Commission, I am thrilled to see this funding disbursed and am excited to see the benefits these resources will help deliver to West Virginia.”

EDA FUNDING: Senator Capito, a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, secured two EDA Tech Hubs Strategy Development grants through the U.S. Department of Commerce for West Virginia organizations through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 to create initiatives that will position West Virginia as a leader in new technology jobs and innovation for the future.

“I am excited to see West Virginia be awarded these grants,” Senator Capito said. “Through the partnerships forged among our business community, educators, and government, West Virginia is perfectly positioned to be a leader in innovating the technology of the future while continuing to manufacture and learn right here in West Virginia. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish with these Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grants.”

DOJ FUNDING: Senator Capito also secured a grant to help implement the DOJ’s Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA) program in Romney, W.Va.

“I‘m glad to see Romney will have access to funding that helps to ensure West Virginia law enforcement officers have all of the resources they need to operate at their best and I’m proud to have secured this LEMHWA grant for them,” Senator Capito said.

FEMA FUNDING: Senator Capito also announced funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR) to reimburse it for emergency costs accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“West Virginia and its brave front line health care professionals didn’t hesitate to step up and help treat patients when the pandemic hit,” Senator Capito said. “I am glad to see this funding made available to reimburse our state after taking on emergency costs during the uncertain times during Covid.”

NIFA FUNDING: Finally, Senator Capito announced funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) NIFA program to Grow Ohio Valley, Inc.’s Paving the Path to Community Food Access project, which will engage consumers, farmers, and markets to increase food access and build a more secure and integrated local food system throughout underserved communities in the Ohio Valley.

“Working to ensure all West Virginians are able to access healthy and nutritious food is incredibly important,” Senator Capito said. “I was proud to help secure this grant to Grow Ohio Valley so that they can continue connecting the West Virginia communities that need food access the most to reliable and healthy food producers.”

Individual ARC award details listed below:

  • $1,500,000 to West Virginia University (WVU) (Morgantown, W.Va.) for the “Smart Grid Deployment Consortium and HILLTOP Platform Expansion project.” The purpose of this project is to commercialize and expand a grid modeling platform that helps rural electric utilities reduce the risk of deploying new smart grid technologies and helps energy tech startups reduce the risk of developing new smart grid technologies.
  • $1,500,000 to Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center, Inc. (Huntington, W.Va.) for the Keith-Albee Renovation Project.
  • $1,499,969 to Bridge Valley Community and Technical College (Institute, W.Va.) for the “Powering Prosperity through Infrastructure Job Training (Powering Prosperity)” project.
  • $1,499,125 to Mountwest Community & Technical College (Huntington, W.Va.) for the “Constructing Jobs in West Virginia Coal Country” project.
  • $1,365,000 to Elk River Trail Foundation (Clandenin, W.Va.) for the “Harnessing the Economic Power of the Elk River Trails” project
  • $1,134,341 to West Virginia Food and Farm Coalition, Inc. (Charleston, W.Va.) for the “Expanding West Virginia's Food System with Regional Entrepreneurship Centers and Innovative Business Streams” project.
  • $995,677 to the Marshall University Research Corporation (Huntington, W.Va.) for the “Leveraging Opportunities to Grow Industry Careers (LOGIC)” project.
  • $545,065 to the Wyoming County Economic Development Authority (Pineville, W.Va.) for the “Huff Creek Broadband Fiber Deployment Project.”
  • $187,392 to the West Virginia Rural Water Association (WVRWA) (Scott Depot, W.Va.) for drinking water and wastewater utility training and assistance.
  • $50,000 to the New River Gorge Learning Co-op (Fayetteville, W.Va.) for the “Mountain State Montessori Early Care & Education Expansion Plan.”
  • $49,995 to Mountain CAP of WV, Inc. (Buckhannon, W.Va.) for the “Exploring the Feasibility of Developing a Workforce Training Program/Social Enterprise Focused on Glass and Plastic Recycling” project.
  • $45,666 to the West Virginia University (WVU) Research Corporation (Morgantown, W.Va.) for the “West Virginia Community-driven Outdoor Recreation Economy” initiative (WV CORE).
  • $40,000 to the Mingo County Commission (Williamson, W.Va.) for the Mingo County Rural Infrastructure Sanitation Systems / Water Planning Grant.
  • $34,604 to Fairmont State University (Fairmont, W.Va.) for the “Exploring, Building, and Developing: Industry/Higher Ed Partnerships in West Virginia” project.
  • $30,758 to the Tamarack Foundation, Inc. (Charleston, W.Va.) for an Arts Business Accelerator project.
  • $25,000 to Heritage Farm Foundation (Huntington, W.Va.) for marketing and analytics planning and training.
  • $25,000 to the Community Education Group, Inc. (Greater Appalachia) to hire a Human Resources Director.

Individual EDA award details listed below:

  • $400,000 in EDA funding to the Allegheny Science & Technology Corporation (Bridgeport, W.Va.) to support the West Virginia Advanced Energy & Industrial Technology Manufacturing (WV-AEIM) Strategy Development Consortium’s plan to develop the strategy to onshore manufacturing and emerging technologies—including carbon and graphite materials and energy storage solutions—and critical supply chains across the state.
  • $400,000 in EDA funding to the West Virginia Department of Economic Development (Charleston, W.Va.) to advance a regional strategy to develop digital identity solutions that support identity management and trust support services, individual privacy, and national security.

DOJ award details listed below:

  • $57,810 in DOJ funding to the Town of Romney, W.Va. to support implementation of the LEMHWA program.

DHS award details listed below:

  • $1,241,279.42 in FEMA funding to the West Virginia DHHR’s Bureau for Public Health (Charleston, W.Va.) to reimburse the bureau for emergency protective measures that were incurred during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

NIFA award details listed below:

  • $292,700 in NIFA funding to Grow Ohio Valley, Inc. (Wheeling, W.Va.) to build a more secure and integrated local food system throughout underserved communities in the Ohio Valley.

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