NRGRDA
In a region known for its scenic beauty, outdoor resources, and low cost of living, the case for relocating, expanding, or beginning a new business in the New River Gorge region is a strong one. The New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA) is a regional economic development organization charged with initiating, facilitating and supporting economic and community development efforts within Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas and Summers counties. NRGRDA is a key partner in significant regional projects including the current Raleigh County Memorial Airport’s AEROready™ certification and aerospace project.
Business Retention & Expansion
NRGRDA manages an ongoing and robust existing business development program. This includes maintaining and growing our internal loan program, in addition to helping businesses leverage existing finances to expand their capacity for growth.
Business and Entrepreneurship Support
NRGRDA’s entrepreneurial arm, WV Hive, provides full-time business coaching for businesses to call upon for technical assistance in all areas of start-up and operations.
New Business Attraction
NRGRDA assists companies, consultants, and site selectors in finding the perfect arrangement of resources to help each company thrive. This involves everything from location selection and negotiation, to construction and design processes, financing arrangements, incentive negotiations, permitting navigation, workforce access and training, general project management, supplier partnerships, technical business assistance, and regional marketing advisement.
Find Your New Business Location
We’ve gathered the region’s primary locations available in our new sites and buildings directory. Find up-to-the-minute listings, prices, photos and details, so your site selection process is as painless as possible. Use the new online Site Selection tool or review some of the featured properties at choosenrg.com.
“Entrepreneurship is the path forward-that’s why NRGRDA created the WV Hive. An entrepreneurial mindset will help strengthen our region and build a new, more diversified economy.” – Joe Brouse, Executive Director
THE HIVE
Since 2016, the WV Hive Network, the entrepreneurship support program of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority (NRGRDA), has helped entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout southern West Virginia. The WV Hive has also worked to help establish an entrepreneurial ecosystem where students, entrepreneurs, and business owners alike can learn, build, innovate, and grow. The mission of the WV Hive is to help aspiring and existing business owners launch and grow successful businesses in the Mountain State. Hundreds of entrepreneurs have found support, including one-on-one business advising, technical assistance, access to capital, and successful ventures with the aid of the WV Hive.
The WV Hive serves as a hub for regional entrepreneurial innovation and investment strongholds. Southern West Virginia is an ever- changing economic landscape that has been sowed for entrepreneurial diversification and fortification. The WV Hive Network ensures those interested in becoming business owners have all they need to get started, make wise investments, and grow responsibly. Over the past three years, the WV Hive has built a reputation and a solid foundation for supporting entrepreneurs, and the organization continues to identify gaps and solutions for the specific obstacles, challenges and complications in the region.
Recent growth of the WV Hive includes the announcement to launch a co-working and business incubation space in downtown Beckley in early 2020, as well as supporting the creation and administration of an angel investment network, the Country Roads Angel Network (CRAN). CRAN is made up of community minded investors who want to underwrite the future of West Virginia by providing early-stage capital opportunities for startups and growth companies and is the first of its kind in WV.