Partnership supports community-led growth across the Alleghany Highlands
Working alongside local leaders, the Center for Economic and Community Engagement applies university expertise to help turn regional priorities into action.
Virginia Tech is working alongside leaders in the Alleghany Highlands to strengthen the economy — not by prescribing solutions, but by providing university expertise that reinforces priorities set by the region itself.
Through the Center for Economic and Community Engagement, part of Outreach and International Affairs, the university applies data, facilitation, and technical expertise to locally driven planning and decision-making. This effort is part of Vibrant Virginia, a universitywide initiative that advances place-based collaboration between Virginia Tech and partners across the commonwealth.
In the Alleghany Highlands — which includes Alleghany County, the city of Covington, and the towns of Clifton Forge and Iron Gate — Center for Economic and Community Engagement faculty and staff are supporting a regional process to assess economic conditions, identify opportunities, and align existing initiatives around shared goals. The center uses a similar approach in communities across Virginia.
“This is work that starts with listening,” said Scott Tate, the center's associate director for community innovations. “Our role is to help clarify goals and connect them to actionable strategies.”
An advisory group drawing on input from local government and economic development organizations, education leaders, The Advancement Foundation, The Alleghany Foundation, and Virginia Cooperative Extension, is guiding the process.
“As the region continues to recover economically from the pandemic, we wanted to review progress on the previous plans while laying the groundwork for future planning efforts,” said Mary Fant Donnan, executive director of The Alleghany Foundation and contract manager for the project. “With strategic investments and continued collaboration among community leaders, the Alleghany Highlands can build a more vibrant and equitable future.”
Supporting locally defined priorities
As part of the partnership, the Center for Economic and Community Engagement convened residents and stakeholders to surface shared strengths and priorities. At a gathering at Mountain Gateway Community College last summer, more than 80 participants identified assets ranging from natural beauty and outdoor recreation to revitalized downtowns, arts and culture, and established sectors such as manufacturing, health care, and tourism.
Tourism alone generated $69 million in visitor spending in 2023, according to reporting by The Recorder. High-speed broadband now reaches more than 95 percent of the area, opening new possibilities for remote work and entrepreneurship, according to the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corp.
That momentum is already visible. Programs such as The Gauntlet, supported by The Advancement Foundation, connect entrepreneurs with mentoring and resources. Businesses launched through the program include a 135-acre event venue, a Covington-based residential re-entry program, and a home-based woodworking and laser engraving business.
“These efforts succeed because they’re rooted in local context,” said Dylan Andrews, an economic development specialist with the center. “They build on what’s already here and create pathways for people to build careers and businesses without leaving the area.”
From planning to action
Beyond small-business support, the center’s involvement has helped regional leaders think more strategically about long-term opportunities. A 100-acre pad-ready site at the Alleghany Regional Commerce Center positions the area to attract advanced manufacturing firms and higher-skilled jobs aligned with workforce strengths.
“Sites that are ready for development help regions compete for growth that fits their goals,” Andrews said. “It’s about matching assets with the right opportunities.”
Like many rural areas, the Alleghany Highlands region also faces challenges related to population decline and housing availability. A regional housing summit held in August explored ways to encourage new development and reinvestment in existing housing stock, including adaptive reuse of former school buildings.
Allen Dressler, city manager for Covington, said collaboration among local governments and organizations has been essential.
“The level of cooperation we have now is the strongest I’ve seen in my 33 years with the city,” Dressler said. “Having partners like Virginia Tech who respect local leadership and help us think strategically makes a real difference.”
A model of land-grant engagement
For the Center for Economic and Community Engagement, the work in the Alleghany Highlands reflects how Virginia Tech engages across the commonwealth — through long-term, place-based partnerships grounded in trust, shaped by local priorities, and adapted to each community’s context.
“This is core land-grant work,” Tate said. “Teaching and research matter, but so does showing up as a partner — applying the university’s expertise in ways that support economic goals defined locally.”
That philosophy is intentionally responsive rather than prescriptive, said John Provo, the center’s executive director.
“Our role isn’t to tell communities what they should become,” he said. “It’s to work alongside them — listening first, aligning around shared priorities, and applying the resources of a land-grant university in ways communities can adapt to their own context.”
