Coalfield Development Corporation

INSPIRING THE COURAGE TO GROW, ACTIVATING THE CREATIVITY TO INNOVATE, AND CULTIVATING COMMUNITIES OF OPPORTUNITY IN CENTRAL APPALACHIA THROUGH THREE CORE CAPABILITIES:EMPLOYMENT-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, COMMUNITY-BASED REVITALIZATION, AND DEVELOPMENT FOR PEOPLE FACING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT.

INCUBATING AND INVESTING IN EMPLOYMENT-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISES: WE WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY OWN A FAMILY OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED SOCIAL ENTERPRISES DESIGNED TO DIVERSIFY THE REGIONAL ECONOMY TO BE LESS DEPENDENT ON COAL. BY "EMPLOYMENT-BASED" WE MEAN ENTERPRISES THAT EXIST FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADVANCING THE WELL-BEING OF ITS EMPLOYEES, WHICH WE DO PRIMARILY THROUGH OUR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING. OUR ENTERPRISES' SUCCESSES ARE MEASURED ACCORDING TO A TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE: PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFIT. REVENUE FROM OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES ENABLES OUR ORGANIZATION CREATE HUNDREDS OF JOBS AND TO BE LESS GRANT-DEPENDENT AND MORE FINANCIALLY SUSTAINABLE. OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SEVERELY ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AS RESULT OF OVER-RELIANCE ON THE COAL INDUSTRY. THEREFORE, CREATING NEW BUSINESSES IS CRITICAL TO REALIZING OUR VISION; OTHERWISE, OUR TRAINEES AND GRADUATES WOULD OFTEN HAVE NOWHERE TO PUT THEIR NEW TRAINING AND CREDENTIALS TO USE.

FACILITATING PROFESSIONAL, PERSONAL, AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR PEOPLE FACING BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT: COALFIELD DEVELOPMENT TRAINS UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE IN MODERN WORKFORCE SKILLS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE FACILITATE DOZENS OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. OUR NETWORK OF EMPLOYERS ENSURES OUR TRAINING IS RELEVANT TO THEIR NEEDS. THIS WAY, GRADUATES OF OUR TRAINING CAN QUICKLY FIND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT AND OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES CAN HAVE AN EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE WITH WHICH TO GROW. OUR MOST IN-DEPTH OPPORTUNITY IS FOR THE PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT OF OUR CREW MEMBERS WHO STAFF OUR SOCIAL ENTERPRISES. CREW MEMBERS WORK OUR 33-6-3 MODEL WHERE EACH WEEK THEY COMPLETE 33 HOURS OF PAID WORK, 6 CREDIT HOURS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND 3 HOURS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT MENTORSHIP. WE MAKE UP TO A THREE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT COMMITMENT TO CREW MEMBERS AS THEY EARN AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE OR TRADE CERTIFICATION AND GAIN TRACTION ON LIFE GOALS. PRIOR TO BECOMING A CREW MEMBER, PEOPLE MUST COMPLETE A SIX- MONTH COURSE CALLED WORKFORCE READINESS AND PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS (WRAPS). WRAPS TRAINEES ARE PAID FOR 33 HOURS OF WORK AND THREE HOURS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EACH WEEK. INSTEAD OF PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION AT THIS STAGE, TRAINEES IDENTIFY BARRIERS TO LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS AND CAN SPEND UP TO FOUR HOURS OF THEIR PAID TIME EACH WEEK WORKING WITH OUR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT STAFF TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. AFTER SIX MONTHS, WRAPS TRAINEES ARE BETTER PREPARED TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AS A 33-6-3 CREW MEMBER OR TO BE A SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYEE OUTSIDE OF COALFIELD DEVELOPMENT.

LEADING AND COLLABORATING ON COMMUNITY-BASED REVITALIZATION PROJECTS: AS A LICENSED GENERAL CONTRACTOR, COALFIELD DEVELOPMENT CAN ADVANCE BOLD, CREATIVE PROJECTS IN DEEP COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. OUR PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED AND ULTIMATELY OWNED BY THE COMMUNITY. WE KEEP A PROJECT PIPELINE FULL AND ADVANCE PROJECTS THROUGH THIS PIPELINE BEGINNING WITH PREDEVELOPMENT AND FINANCING, ENTERING INTO CONSTRUCTION, AND THEN INTO OPERATION AS COMMUNITY ASSETS. OUR PROJECTS ARE MIXED-USE, MIXED INCOME, MEANING THEY BLEND RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT INCOME DEMOGRAPHICS, THUS ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION AND OPPORTUNITY CULTIVATION. OUR CONSTRUCTION CREW IS ALSO A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, HAVING 33-6-3 CREW MEMBERS AS CARPENTERS. REJUVENATING EMPTY BUILDINGS OR FORMER MINE-LANDS CAN BE A MAJOR STRATEGY FOR BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, PRESERVING CULTURAL TREASURERS, ATTRACTING FRESH INVESTMENT, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND CREATING QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.