Objective: Support the education and development of grassroots leaders.

Objective: Create a formal leadership organization.

Objective: Establish a certified leadership development program.

Objective: EAGLES programming across sectors.

Objective: Develop regional leadership organization and certification programs.

Goal: To establish youth involvement in the regional community.

Objective: Establish youth leadership training.
Objective: Seek youth participation in programs and provide recognition.
Objective: Create youth-specific seats on local councils, boards, and committees.
Objective: Create Youth Entrepreneurial Center for business and civic development and practice.
Objective: Establish youth leadership recognition program.

Objective: Establish First Works model for entrepreneurial development through teams engaged in supported start-up businesses.
Objective: Create and administer VT KnowledgeWorks program for effective technology transfer with Virginia Tech.
Objective: Support business incubator system in the region.

Objective: Community awareness workshops for corporate leaders and elected officials.
Objective: Establish a mechanism to foster regional coordination among government agencies and organizations.
Objective: Research and publicize non-profit and public contributions to community development efforts.
Objective: Quarterly human service community meetings to discuss service delivery and system constraints and promote community input and collaborative problem solving.

Objective: Strengthen Non-profit corporate governance.
Objective: Promote local philanthropy to enhance community investment and commitment to local development.
Objective: Support regional coordination within and between government agencies.
Objective: Support and promote Christiansburg Institute.

Objective: Use multi-media technologies in the classroom to share instructional delivery and access to information throughout the region.
Objective: Allocate resources equitably to ensure that students from all economic and basic skill groups in school are prepared, encouraged, and ready to learn.
Objective: Encourage State recognition of the need for a funding formula fostering regional cooperation among public schools in technology training and education.

Objective: Provide students with more "real world" learning opportunities in order to prepare them to compete in a global economy.
Objective: Provide nurturing environment to all children that stresses “employability skills” including work ethic.
Objective: Expand mentoring and "shadow" programs.
Objective: Establish partnerships between industry/business and schools to promote the importance of skill development and inform educators of the skills needed (e.g., Work Keys).

Objective: Expand programs to teach basic literacy skills.
Objective: Offer more on-site literacy training opportunities to local businesses and industries.

Objective: Expand educational curriculum, operating hours, use of technology, and location of programming to offer non-traditional students educational opportunities to meet the needs of all of the region's residents.
Objective: Provide affordable, diverse, and accessible continuing education opportunities.

Objective: Train managers and workers to meet the current and future challenges of a competitive marketplace.
Objective: Expand existing corporate training and professional development programs.
Objective: Encourage the "one stop career shop" to program services based on economic opportunities of the region and geared to providing skills and assistance necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
Objective: Implement a program to prepare secondary school students for technical careers that will support the recruitment of high technology industries to the New River Valley.

Objective: Link local industries with technology and research capabilities of Virginia Tech, Radford University, and New River Community College.
Objective: Expand the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center’s programs to include a strong technology transfer component.
Objective: Encourage alternative education in vocational programs, marketable skills, including business skills.
Objective: Market the region's specialty skill base to prospective industries.

Objective: Devise an easily available system for the delivery of human services.
Objective: Strengthen client awareness of available services through better use of media, technology, and volunteer care networks, and the grouping of social service agency representatives and informational material within the one stop center.

Objective: Make high quality services available in the New River Valley.
Objective: Target the needs of "high risk" persons of the region in order to allow greater participation of these persons in the workforce and community.
Objective: Encourage and improve volunteer involvement in the delivery of human services.

Objective: Coordinate and maximize the use of existing public and private transportation resources.
Objective: Target and coordinate the expansion of currently available Aon demand@ transportation services to fill the needs of elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged citizens.
Objective: Plan and coordinate the expansion of the existing public transportation network to incorporate the entire New River Valley.
Objective: Support volunteer-based transportation alternatives (e.g., Access to Rides).

Objective: Develop an integrated network of private and public child and adult day care providers to assist families twenty-four hours a day.

Objective: Improve the region's preparedness and ability to respond to natural crisis and man-made emergencies.
Objective: Reduce police, fire, and Emergency Medical Service response times throughout the New River Valley.

Objective: Provide access to family basics training.
Objective: Create a system of after school programs (e.g., boys and girls clubs).
Objective: Support the provision of youth shelter(s).

Objective: Design and market a series of travel packages for different recreational consumers.
Objective: Institute measures to protect critical areas from inappropriate development.
Objective: Inventory cultural sites and artisan shops throughout the region, and establish loop trails off the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Objective: Develop nature-based recreational opportunities, including a network of trails for hiking and biking.

Objective: Improve land use planning and practices to preserve the region's rural character and ensure that critical or high risk areas are protected from inappropriate development.
Objective: Educate the public on the issues of land use planning and controls.
Objective: Encourage the development of recreational amenities in conjunction with all development throughout the region.
Objective: Collaborate with the New River Valley Land Trust and other groups to educate landowners regarding voluntary conservation easements.
Objective: Investigate program funding to assist in the cost of acquiring conservation easements.
Objective: Support existing agriculture operations and assist in developing alternative agriculture opportunities.

Objective: Continue public awareness of benefits and needs for recycling.
Objective: Develop convenient means to recycle throughout the New River Valley.

Objective: Promote the enhancement of educational and cultural amenities, to include cultural libraries.
Objective: Coordinate and cooperatively market local events regionally.

Objective: Identify, develop, and package the region's inventory of historical, cultural, natural features, and events and promote to outside markets.
Objective: Examine opportunities to attract travelers from the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Objective: Create and support a regional tourism agency/organization to promote the New River Valley as a whole in partnership with each locality and other regional promotion organizations.
Objective: Develop a “blueway” along the New River, regionally.
Objective: Seek inter-regional partnerships with other Virginia communities, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky to enhance the region's chances of becoming a tourism destination.

Objective: Organize creative financing programs and improve entrepreneurs' access to capital.
Objective: Strengthen the New River Valley’s capacity to assist in the creation and expansion of businesses that are competitive locally, nationally, and globally.
Objective: Support the business incubators, and their services to new businesses including the development of corporate structures.

Objective: Provide alternate educational opportunities and support to encourage self-employment.
Objective: Encourage and acknowledge entrepreneurial efforts in established local industries and businesses.
Objective: Encourage home-based, community-based business zoning.
Objective: Explore the establishment of a youth entrepreneurial center.

Objective: Encourage the use of locally developed technology in manufacturing and other industry.
Objective: Support the development of E-commerce and business-to-business ventures.
Objective: Encourage the formation of programs to develop technology-based businesses.

Objective: Recruit environmentally responsible companies.
Objective: Utilize appropriate land use controls and utility availability to direct business to appropriate locations.
Objective: Develop and promote micro-business opportunities for recycled products to enhance local utilization of recycled materials.

Objective: Market the region's existing industrial, technology, and research space.
Objective: Pursue a multi-regional marketing campaign involving the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance, and similar organizations throughout Western Virginia.

Objective: Enhance the diversity of the region's shopping opportunities.
Objective: Improve the competitiveness of downtown business districts.
Objective: Seek diversification and mixed use redevelopment of commercial districts.

Objective: Provide service instruction to employees.
Objective: Improve the region's ability to provide basic travel information to visitors.

Objective: Promote a regional identity to serve the marketing of the regions attractions.
Objective: Increase the region's tourism readiness and marketing capacity.
Objective: Attract support services.
Objective: Develop a unified signage program for the region.

Objective: Pursue a targeted industry approach to industry recruitment.
Objective: Recruit outside firms seeking a trained and skilled labor force, low utility costs, high quality industrial space, and convenient highway access.
Objective: Recruit outside firms that currently have significant vendor relationships with New River Valley companies.
Objective: Utilize Virginia’s First to provide creative public incentives to encourage private investment.
Objective: Foster partnerships among localities with common needs (including non-adjacent counties.)

Objective: Encourage the State to share income taxes and revenue growth with localities.
Objective: Encourage the State to allow more flexible local revenue strategies.

Objective: Seek representation on State Commissions and Committees.
Objective: Provide input to State from regional economic development organizations and planning districts.

Objective: Promote and coordinate existing quality initiatives (e.g., ISO 9000 industry certification programs).
Objective: Develop a "Corporate Team" program to encourage local businesses to work together to pursue joint markets and/or federal contracts.
Objective: E-business support and development.
Objective: Market New River Valley products to other state, national, and international markets.

Objective: Coordinate with existing international trade promotion, training and networking efforts/initiatives.
Objective: Market the advantages and promote the use of the Foreign Trade Zone and Customs Office at the New River Valley International Airport.
Objective: Use Foreign Trade Zone status as a tool in recruiting new industries and diversifying the New River Valley's economy.

Objective: Create a more supportive and open relationship between industry, government, and educational institutions.
Objective: Utilize the Community College or the “one stop-centers to assist businesses seeking trained employees or training of employees requiring enhanced skills.
Objective: Provide intermediary between industry and social services.

Objective: Create new financing opportunities for business/industry expansion.
Objective: Assist the commercialization of innovative technology and non-technology-based enterprises.
Objective: Develop more value-added processes for products developed locally.
Objective: Encourage recruitment of local college graduates.

Objective: Identify potential international partners for local firms.
Objective: Evaluate the opportunities to locate a multi-modal transportation facility in the region.

Objective: To utilize specialty training (e.g., engineers, telecommunication, and technology).
Objective: To utilize specialty skills (e.g., artists and artisans).
Objective: To utilize basic skills in newer industries (e.g., hand dexterity).

Objective: Seek commitment of government and private interests to improve the capacity, efficiency, and condition of the regional transportation network.
Objective: Increase the capacity and utilization of existing air service facilities in the New River Valley.
Objective: Support passenger rail service for the New River Valley.
Objective: Increase interstate connections.
Objective: Seek opportunities to implement multi-modal services.
Objective: Seek to expand public transportation services and private transportation providers.

Objective: Reduce the amount of waste added to the waste stream.
Objective: Seek inter-and intra-regional cooperation regarding the disposal of solid waste.
Objective: Pursue markets for recycled and reused products and materials.

Objective: Adopt creative development approaches to encourage the creation of affordable housing.
Objective: Determine appropriate and cost-effective means for providing shelter for all residents.
Objective: Seek to establish phased retirement centers.

Objective: Support the implementation of programs and facilities which support companies in their development and utilization of intellectual properties (e.g., VT KnowledgeWorks and Radford University Business Technology Park).

Objective: Interconnect water and sewer systems regionally where possible to improve reliability and safety.
Objective: Examine the potential of the New River as an alternative source of water for communities using springs and wells.
Objective: Encourage AEP to build redundancy in electrical service to eliminate blackout/brownouts.
Objective: Deploy a network of fiber optics throughout the region.

Objective: Encourage the development and updating of Capital Improvement Plans (CIP).
Objective: Seek creative and alternative funding sources for eligible capital improvement projects.
Objective: Seek creative and cooperative regional financing strategies for major infrastructure needs.

Objective: Establish a regional telecommunication committee to evaluate needs and recommend strategies.
Objective: Pursue plans to expand the "Electronic Village" concept, including public access to computers.
Objective: Promote the expansion and use of the "Electronic Classroom" at Virginia Tech, Radford University, New River Community College and primary and secondary schools.
Objective: Pursue direct electronic links to marketing information and market sources for advancing the region.
Objective: Establish a regional communications program for marketing and other outreach programs.

Objective: Identify, evaluate, and negotiate the acquisition and/or reserved use of industrial and business property in the region.
Objective: Develop regional properties tailored to the needs of targeted industries.
Objective: Utilize Virginia’s First Regional Industrial Facilities Authority to cooperatively develop properties.
Objective: Develop public/private partnerships to meet space needs of targeted economic projects.

Contents of Community First

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