Charleston Area Alliance (WV) – Catalyzing Change: An Economic Development Strategic Plan for the Charleston Area Alliance

Challenge

West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley region, anchored by the Charleston metropolitan area, faces long-standing economic challenges including troubling population loss, below-average employment growth, lagging unemployment rates, and low levels of workforce participation. At the same time, new leadership and promising opportunities sparked a renewed sense of agency, urgency, and optimism among the region’s economic development partners. As the region’s primary economic development organization, the Charleston Area Alliance (the Alliance), has positioned itself within the partner network as a catalyst for change. Driven by the desire to convert challenges into transformative opportunities, the Alliance sought out a strategic plan and a clear organizational road map to address the region’s challenges and drive investment.

Response

Launched by the Alliance’s Board in the spring of 2024, the Catalyzing Change strategic planning process was guided by a 14-member steering committee with support from TIP Strategies. In addition to a thorough review of prior planning efforts, an examination of the economic development ecosystem, and an in-depth analysis of the region’s competitive position, TIP conducted extensive stakeholder outreach. Community touchpoints included virtual and in-person interviews with dozens of public and private sector leaders, a series of topic-based roundtables, a July 2024 Board retreat, and regular interactions with the steering committee. Insights from the quantitative and qualitative input helped shape a new value proposition for the Alliance and a set of six guiding principles which provided the foundation for the plan’s strategic framework. This holistic approach uncovered several opportunities for fostering growth and development. Catalyzing Change outlines a set of goals, strategies, and actions designed to advance the region’s legacy industries, reestablish Charleston as a center for professional services, fuel the growth of the region’s small business and creative industries, and leverage the area’s numerous outdoor recreational assets for tourism and talent attraction. It also provides detailed recommendations for reestablishing the Alliance’s position in the region by restructuring its board, revisiting its brand and value proposition, and redefining its roles to maximize impact. A reenergized Alliance will deliver clearly defined, value-driven services to its members while building the strong partner relationships needed to effect change in the Kanawha Valley.