Wise Advice

Wise County Business & Economic Development Newsletter

"Spring is the time of plans and projects." — Leo Tolstoy

Gov. Youngkin Signs Legislation Supporting SMR Development

Governor Youngkin visited Southwest Virginia last Thursday to sign legislation in support of his All-American, All-of-the-Above Energy Plan and mission to build the nation's first commercial small modular reactor in the region.

The signed bills will:

• Create the Virginia Power Innovation Fund to develop innovative energy technologies.
• Create the Nuclear Education Grant Fund, which will award competitive grants to Virginia colleges and schools for the creation of employment and training pathways in the nuclear power industry.
• Empower the Southwest Virginia Energy Research and Development Authority to promote energy projects on former coal sites, develop Southwest’s energy workforce and supply chains, and advance Southwest Virginia’s energy industry.
• Encourage the capture and use of coal mine methane in Virginia’s energy supply and direct the Virginia Department of Energy to research beneficial uses of coal mine methane.
• Add coal mine methane extraction to the jobs eligible to receive green and alternative energy job creation tax credits.

For a detailed account of the Governor's visit, see Cardinal News coverage of the event.

Lonesome Pine Regional Business & Technology Park Selected to Receive $1.75 M in Site Development Grants

Wise County, VA - The Wise County Board of Supervisors, in partnership with the Wise County Industrial Development Authority, jointly announced an award of $1.75 million in grant funding to further develop the Lonesome Pine Regional Business & Technology Park. The funds will be used to prepare the Elam Farm property, an approximately 200 acre site in the park, for future industrial use. 

Grant funds are provided from a combination of state and federal sources. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership has awarded $750,000 from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP), a discretionary program that helps characterize and develop sites to enhance the Commonwealth’s infrastructure with more competitive project-ready sites to attract new business and accelerate expansion in Virginia. The Congressionally-directed Community Project Funding (CPF) economic development initiative will provide an additional $1 Million for a second phase of the project. 

View the full release here.

CreatorCon Entrepreneurship Conference Announced

NORTON, VA | Haysi native Ryan Jones, owner & founder of Do Good Brands and Lincoln Road, is excited to announce CreatorCon, the premier conference for entrepreneurs and creators in partnership with the City of Norton, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA Wise) and Opportunity SWVA.

This two-day event will take place on August 23 and 24 at the City of Norton Expo Center. CreatorCon is an educational experience hosted by Do Good Brands for entrepreneurs, creators and organizations to network, share ideas and take away actionable items to grow. Attendees will leave the conference inspired creatively, with an expanded network and connected with mentors to grow their businesses.

Tickets for the event are now available for purchase online.

The Little Cavaliers Early Learning Center

UVA Wise and YWCA of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia (YWCA NETN and SWVA) have announced the arrival of an innovative childcare center on the campus of UVA Wise.

The Little Cavaliers Early Learning Center will be managed and staffed by the YWCA and provide early childhood education licensed by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The new Center will support the young families of faculty, staff, and students while providing children with a great educational start. The new childcare facility will be housed near the Center for Teaching Excellence and include a spacious playground. The Center is slated to open later this year.

2023 SWVA Economic Forum

Registration for the 2023 SWVA Economic Forum is now open!



Early bird registration for both in-person and virtual participation will close on April 7, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please note that after this date, in-person tickets will increase to $45, and virtual tickets will increase to $25. Ticket sales will remain open until Monday, May 22, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

This year's event will showcase creative and innovative local leaders, strategic partners, and businesses and how they are collaborating and utilizing resources to move the region forward. Join us as we continue to grow a shared vision of prosperity for Southwest Virginia and Central Appalachia.

Small Biz Basics Entrepreneurship Course

The Wise County Office of Economic & Industrial Development is proud to offer an online Small Biz Basics entrepreneurship course in partnership with Santa Clara University's My Own Business Institute (MOBI). 

This course is a comprehensive resource for both aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners hoping to open or expand a small business in Wise County, VA. The Small Biz Basics course covers essential business concepts such as writing a business plan, financing a business, accounting and cash flow, hiring and managing employees, ecommerce, marketing, and more. The course is free and offered in a self-paced format. Course participants who successfully complete the program will earn a Certificate of Completion from Santa Clara University.

Click here to go to the Small Biz Basics enrollment form.