Coalfield Development
Model & Strategy
Coalfield Development is a West Virginia 501(c)3 focused on ending the intergenerational cycle of poverty in Appalachia by rebuilding the region’s economy from the ground up. Coalfield’s mission is to promote economic development and create jobs for chronically unemployed residents, most of whom are in the coal industry. Coal companies owned, and then abandoned, not just the coal mines, but much of the state’s infrastructure. Coalfield oversees a family of social enterprises that pioneer new and viable economic markets in the region, while simultaneously providing a holistic model of direct employment, formal education, and personal development training.
Brandon Dennison, the Founder and CEO of Coalfield Development, was born and raised in southern West Virginia. In college, Brandon became a Youth Director for a progressive faith group through and experiential learning trips across the US and the world. On his final service trip in West Virginia, Brandon was struck by an interaction with two men who approached the volunteers who were working on home repairs asking the volunteers for work. Through these experiences, Brandon recognized how much need there is in his own backyard, and after graduate school, he returned to West Virginia to launch Coalfield Development.
Brandon attended college at Shepherd University in West Virginia and received a Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management with a Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship from Indiana University. He has received many awards and honors including the 2015 JM Kaplan Social Innovation Prize, the 2014 Diehl Family Social Enterprise Competition, and was named a 40 under 40 leaders nationwide who are making their mark on the nonprofit world by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Impact
$15 million in new investment attracted to southern West Virginia with over 160 new jobs created and more than 40 new businesses started in southern West Virginia.
Over 800 professional certifications facilitated for formerly unemployed people, and messaging about new sustainable economy reaching over 15 million people on a global scale.
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Refresh Appalachia is always growing! They had a Pop-Up Flower and plant sale in Huntington last month. Looks fresh… https://t.co/o1PYKhobZr
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Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's in Appalachia.
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We wholly or partially own a family of employment-based social enterprises designed to diversify the regional econo… https://t.co/NNNSUxMbP8
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RT @_STFoundation: Three of our incredible Catalyst partners are taking the stage @classy's #Collaborative19 this week. So proud to see lea…
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One of our Core Capabilities train unemployed people in modern workforce skills. Throughout the year, we facilitate… https://t.co/NAiE4ev6cq
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Thank you for your support in what we do. We believe in our mission, and our crew members to make a great change in… https://t.co/imcStAyWVf
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In the spirit of graduation🎓 this time of the year, at May's Crew Member Council, we recognized 3 people as our Coa… https://t.co/ZDkT4n96z2
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Born in Gap Mills, West Virginia, Andrew Rowan was a lieutenant in the 19th Infantry of the US Army who became famo… https://t.co/1GzU006WaL