Create West Virginia

Building Creative Communities for the New Economy

Create WV is a grass roots organization launched by Vision Shared (www.visionshared.com) whose vision is to empower West Virginians at a local level to place themselves among the most innovative, dynamic, prosperous, creative communities in the world.

Our mission is to build creative communities for the new economy. Our strategies to achieve this include:

Empowering communities at a local level through training and ongoing support
Supporting and initiating statewide policies for building creative community pillars
Promoting West Virginia as a great place to create today
Developing and launching commercial and social entreprenuership projects, businesses and initiatives that improve WV

Contact:

Chairperson – Jeff James, jeffj@mythologymarketing.com
General questions, comments or interest in volunteering? Email info@createwv.com

Create WV
601 Morris Street, Suite 200
Charleston, WV 25303

304.346.2230

2010 Plans

Create WV 2010 Conference – October 17-19, Wheeling, WV
Priorities
- Form Create WV board - completed!
- Organize and submit for 501c3 status
- Support the WV State University Extension "DigiSo" (digital and social media) Center project
- Support The Block program connecting childrren from Rand, WV, and Harlem, NY
- Hold additional Create WV Summit and Workshop events in communities that request them
- Support existing Create WV teams and help form new ones
- Identify and secure funding sources
- Hire Executive Director

Short-Term Goals

Goal	Status
Over 200 leaders trained with all 55 counties represented	Over 550+ trained at some level Only a handful of counties not engaged or represented Over 20 Create WV planning workshops completed 410 attendees at the Huntington Create WV Conference 1500+ subscribers to e-newsletter, 1,800 on Facebook and Twitter
25 WV communities with an official, detailed New Economy/Creative Community growth plan in action by June 2008	Existing teams in Fayetteville, Pocahontas, Mercer, Buckhannon, Huntington Team forming in Fairmont and Wheeling
Statewide Creative Communities development program identified and in progress	Creative Communities Investment Program legislation (Senate Bill 549) submitted March 2009; passed by Senate during 2010 session, but did not clear House. Being resubmitted in next session.
Dedicated outbound communications plan and campaigns in place to recruit the Creative Community to West Virginia	Support for Genuine WV campaign by WV Commerce Department Continued partnership with Generation WV on state marketing plan
Focused voice in support of related Creative Community initiatives: Broadband coverage, education innovation and standards, scientific R&D, entrepreneurship/TBED, e-government	Support delivered for Bucks for Brains (passed 2008) and statewide broadband investments Currently lending vocal support for education reform, non-discrimination for LBGT community, sustainability issues, tech-based economic development, and minority opportunities in education and entrepreneurship

Long-Term

Goal	Status
West Virginia in upper ½ of New Economy Index rankings	WV 49th in latest rankings
Recognized nationally as “hot” region for innovation and Creative Community growth	Morgantown/Northcentral WV growth has gained national recognition
Additional towns/cities in national rankings	Possible additions to creative community national lists: Elkins Buckhannon Beckley Mercer County Fairmont Wheeling Others?
Real progress in diversity	Much higher in consciousness, local efforts in Charleston. No statewide initiative in place – needs addressed asap
Growth in Southern and rural counties	Teams exist in Fayetteville and Mercer. Need more activity in Logan, Mingo, Boone, Lincoln, McDowell.

Questions? Feedback?

Email info@createwv.com

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