Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Community Investment Training program, a 16-week opportunity offered through the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's Rural Investment Collaborative. The training program aims to help community leaders across Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia develop investment-ready community and economic projects in their local communities.
Using a training curriculum provided by Invest Appalachia, participants will receive instruction on cultivating effective partnerships within their communities, honing their funding pitches, developing the infrastructure to sustain their projects and more. Participants who complete the training will receive a mini grant funded through the Collaborative’s national and regional philanthropic partner organizations to be used to further develop their proposals and support community activation of their projects.
The Rural Investment Collaborative convenes rural leaders and local community champions to participate in shared learning and programming to facilitate improved access to capital. The group’s signature Community Investment Training program works with national and regional funding organizations to help increase the availability and access to funding needed for these projects.
“The Rural Investment Collaborative seeks to support the Community Investment Training participants with the knowledge, skills and guidance they need to develop investable projects and bring them together with capital providers,” said Carrie Cook, Richmond Fed vice president of community development and community affairs officer. “We look forward to building upon the success of the first cohort.”
“You’re given the tools and the building blocks to come out at the end with something you can really use for your project,” said Katie Ryan, director of operations for Clifton Forge School of the Arts and 2024 Community Investment Training program participant. “The project that I was focused on has already been awarded funding through an opportunity brought to our attention through my participation in the training.”
Applications for the 2025 Community Investment Training program are open now through Aug. 8, 2024. Community leaders working in development sectors or those with new project ideas needing assistance are encouraged to apply. All applicants must submit ideas for a local community project as part of their application. Visit the Rural Investment Collaborative site for more information on eligibility requirements.
The Richmond Fed does not fund or otherwise award grants or participate in selecting grantees or communities receiving training or technical assistance.
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