Revitalizing communities with place-based development
2026 Civic Hub grantee
In the Mon Forest region of West Virginia, Woodlands Development Group is working toward a future where Central Appalachian communities—rural areas facing decades of economic divestment—reclaim agency over their futures. The organization envisions communities where residents drive local change, towns maintain vibrant downtowns, and isolated communities connect through shared projects and collective investment.
A Civic Hub for local action
Central to the organization’s role as a Civic Hub is listening closely and working alongside partners. In the small rural towns Woodlands serves, these relationships help communities plan, fund, finance, and implement community-led projects and emerging small businesses.
Through place-based development projects, Woodlands adapts urban tools for rural contexts, creates local investment opportunities, and fills civic infrastructure gaps where government capacity is limited.
This approach grounds change in local knowledge while building community capacity.
“Community priorities in our day-to-day environment transcend differences and political divides. From this common ground, we build a practice of dialogue and collaboration that extends from single projects into other areas of community living.”
—Woodlands Development Group (2026 Civic Hub grantee)
Community impact in practice
In Barbour County and its county seat of Philippi, Woodlands has grown its ongoing efforts into multiple project partnerships. After investing in local staff and community planning, Woodlands worked with the city government to secure real estate for historic downtown redevelopment and reimagine a vacant lot once slated for demolition. The partnership has led to preliminary plans and funding applications for a new 10-unit mixed-use building designed to reflect the original structure. The process has strengthened collaboration among local leaders and demonstrated how community investment can create visible change.
The opportunities ahead
As Woodlands takes on more community projects, Trust funding will support additional staff capacity for community planning, project implementation, finance packaging, design, and construction management.
Photos courtesy of Woodlands Development Group.