About this programme
FASTER WV Technical Assistance Grants are run by Advantage Valley, Inc., the economic development organization covering the Charleston-Huntington region of West Virginia. The grants, which the organization also calls 'mini-grants,' pay for professional services an entrepreneur would otherwise have to fund out of pocket, including marketing and branding support, website development, financial consulting, legal assistance, and business planning services.
Technical Assistance Grants are one piece of the broader FASTER WV program, which Advantage Valley describes as combining one-on-one business coaching, workshops, basic entrepreneurship courses, technical assistance mini-grants, and loans from a revolving loan fund. The revolving loan fund is a separate but related component, lending $5,000 to $50,000 at the current prime rate for real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital, with terms of up to 10 years for real estate, 7 years for equipment, and 3 to 5 years for operating capital.
The programme mainly supports people launching new businesses, early-stage businesses in their first 1 to 3 years, people purchasing an existing business, and small businesses preparing to expand. Advantage Valley also runs the Marshall Skills Exchange, described as 12 stackable courses guiding a founder from idea to launch, alongside the coaching and grant support.
Who can apply
The entrepreneur or small business must be in the Advantage Valley region, covering Boone, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, Mason, Putnam, and Wayne counties in West Virginia.
Applicants work with a FASTER WV business coach as part of the intake and assessment process before accessing grant funding; the loan-fund side of FASTER WV additionally requires the business to be in one of the program's priority sectors.
How to apply
- Complete the intake form at advantagevalley.com/intake-form/, or contact Advantage Valley directly.
- Get matched with a FASTER WV business coach, who assesses your needs and guides you through available services, including Technical Assistance Grants.
Frequently asked
What can a Technical Assistance Grant pay for?
Marketing and branding support, website development, financial consulting, legal assistance, and business planning services.
Do I need to work with a business coach first?
Yes. Working with a FASTER WV business coach is part of the intake and assessment process before you can access grant funding.
Who is this for?
Mainly people launching a new business, early-stage businesses in their first 1 to 3 years, people buying an existing business, and small businesses preparing to expand, within the Advantage Valley region.
Is this the same as the FASTER WV loan fund?
No. Technical Assistance Grants (mini-grants for professional services) and the FASTER WV revolving loan fund ($5,000 to $50,000 for real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital) are two different components of the same broader FASTER WV program.
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All 9 programmes in West Virginia →
Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.