(Monongahela, PA) – On Friday, February 28, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub and Mon Valley Alliance hosted the Mid Mon Valley Rapid Readiness Workshop at the Mon Valley Alliance Business Resource Center. The full-day event brought together municipal staff, elected officials, local nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders from across the Mid Mon Valley to identify investment-ready projects in the region.
The planning team, consisting of the Mon Valley Alliance, Mid Mon Valley Transit Authority, National Road PA, and the Washington County Authority, invited a few key communities for this initial meeting. Representatives from New Eagle, Monongahela, Donora, and North Belle Vernon attended, along with staff from Rep. Guy Reschenthaler’s office and Commissioner Nick Sherman’s office.
The workshop also engaged key regional partners, including Keystone Energy Alliance, Southwestern PA Commission, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), RIDC, Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank, FHLBank Pittsburgh, WesBanco Bank, and Mobilify Southwestern Pennsylvania. These partners actively participated in table discussions and remained available for networking opportunities following the event.
Participants used the SWPA Hub’s Investment Readiness Tool to assess projects and explore strategies for securing funding. The workshop provided local stakeholders with opportunities to:
· Map out a pipeline of key infrastructure and economic development projects.
· Identify funding opportunities and strategies for investment readiness.
· Build partnerships with local government officials, technical advisors, and funders.
“I believe that the Mid Mon Valley Rapid Readiness workshop brought together unique opportunities and perspectives from the varying local leaders, municipal staff, local non-profit organizations and businesses concerning potential economic projects that are at the forefront of Mid-Mon Valley Rebirth,” said Ken Hillman, participant of the workshop and the Carroll Township Authority Board Chairman. “I was truly impressed by the engagement of everyone that attended the workshop. It provided the opportunity, with assistance, to learn what it takes to create successful economic outcomes for the Mid-Mon Valley.”
Following the workshop, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub will be compiling the materials and insights generated during the event. These resources will be shared with all attendees, along with an invitation to utilize the Hub’s Project Intake Form for continued support and assistance with next steps.
Additionally, targeted follow-ups with community representatives will focus on sharing funding opportunities and outlining actionable next steps identified during the workshop. These efforts will ensure that discussions translate into tangible progress for communities across the Mid Mon Valley. The Mon Valley Alliance and Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub plan to continue their strong partnership to bring free technical resources, funding navigation, and further opportunities for collaboration to all communities throughout the Mid Mon Valley.
“The MVA is proud to host such an event and to connect our community representatives and stakeholders in the Mid Mon Valley with the important resources that are available, while encouraging our planning partners from outside the Mid Mon Valley to further engage within our region” said Jamie Colecchi, Chief Executive Officer of the Mon Valley Alliance. “Building the right connections and follow through will help this initial group advance their respective projects toward readiness and funding. We look forward to conducting similar events to introduce other communities and stakeholders to the right connections to move the ball downfield.”
“The success of the Mid Mon Valley Rapid Readiness Workshop reflects the hard work, creativity, and openness to collaboration that our partners and all who attended brought to the table,” adds Sarah SanGiovanni, Director of Community and Systems Research at the Hub. “The event was a great opportunity to discuss community priorities, opportunities, and needs with change-makers from across the region, and we’re excited to connect project teams to no-cost grant writers, engineers, and other technical experts who can drive funding readiness. Please reach out to us if you are interested in learning more or hosting a similar event in your area.”
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub connects communities across the ten-county region to funding and resources that support infrastructure and economic growth. The Mon Valley Alliance works to drive industrial, business, and community development in the Mid Mon Valley region.
For more information about future initiatives, please contact Sarah SanGiovanni, Director of Research, Southwestern Pennsylvania Municipal Project Hub, at sarah@swpahub.org. or Abigail Stark from the Mon Valley Alliance, at astark@monvalleyalliance.org.
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