Generation West Virginia

What Generation West Virginia does

Generation West Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 and headquartered in Morgantown, West Virginia, that operates a portfolio of workforce development programs targeting young West Virginians. Its core products are Career Connector (a statewide job board and workforce hub built in partnership with TechConnect West Virginia), the GWV Fellowship (a nine-month leadership development program with participant tuition and corporate sponsorship), NewForce (a six-month, fully remote, tuition-free tech training school), and a Broadband Program that delivers Digital Equity Plans and telehealth planning services to rural counties and health systems. The organization also runs the WV Connected Communities Network and the annual Pathways to Progress conference to convene stakeholders across broadband, digital skills, and workforce development.

The underlying technology is a conventional workforce development and digital equity planning platform — there is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML, app, or SDK components. Distribution is direct-to-consumer and statewide: job seekers and employers self-serve on Career Connector, fellows apply directly to the GWV Fellowship, and broadband services are delivered pro bono to counties and rural health systems, primarily through partner-led implementation (Connect Humanity, WV Office of Broadband, Regional Optical Communications, Essential Project Management, National Telehealth Advisors).

Generation West Virginia's business model is that of a typical community nonprofit: revenue is a mix of corporate sponsorship (e.g., EQT as a 2026 Fellowship sponsor), individual donations processed via Network for Good, participant tuition for the Fellowship, and grants from federal and state sources (USDA Broadband Technical Assistance Program, Appalachian Regional Commission). NewForce and Career Connector are positioned as free to end users, while broadband technical assistance is delivered pro bono. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors (Kel Cecil, Board Chair) and is led by Executive Director Robbie Skinner, appointed March 16, 2026.

Name

Generation West Virginia

Legal name

Generation West Virginia

Website

https://generationwv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Generation West Virginia is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs Career Connector (job board), GWV Fellowship (leadership program), NewForce (tech training), and broadband/digital equity programs serving young professionals, employers, and rural counties across West Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Readiness, Career Pathways & Youth Employment Nonprofits (BPAGADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Workforce development
• Leadership training
• Tech training programs
• Digital equity planning
• Career services

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Fellowship Program Tuition: Participants pay tuition to participate in the GWV Fellowship program, combined with philanthropic support from corporate sponsors and individual donors.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors fund the GWV Fellowship and other programs. 2026 sponsors include EQT. Sponsorship opportunities available at various tiers.
3. Individual Donations: Qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization accepting donations from individuals.
4. Grants and Government Funding: Funding from USDA Broadband Technical Assistance Program and other grant programs to support digital equity and broadband planning initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Generation West Virginia is a statewide nonprofit workforce development organization that equips young West Virginians with career and leadership skills. It sells access to a leadership fellowship (GWV Fellowship), delivers a tuition-free remote tech-training program (NewForce), and operates a job-board workforce hub (Career Connector) connecting job seekers with West Virginia employers. It also provides pro bono digital equity and telehealth planning services to rural counties and health systems across West Virginia.

Product overview

Generation West Virginia operates as a multi-program workforce development organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include: Career Connector, a workforce development hub connecting job seekers with West Virginia employers; GWV Fellowship, a 6-month leadership development program; NewForce, a 6-month tuition-free remote tech-training school; the Broadband Program supporting telehealth and digital infrastructure; WV Connected Communities Network for broadband collaboration; Digital Equity Plans for 18 counties; and the Pathways to Progress annual conference. These programs work together to equip young West Virginians with skills and career opportunities while strengthening the state's workforce and digital infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Career Connector: Workforce development hub connecting job seekers and employers in West Virginia.
• GWV Fellowship
• NewForce
• WV Connected Communities Network
• Pathways to Progress Conference

Products and services

• Career Connector Online workforce development hub and job board that connects West Virginia job seekers with employers. Includes a tech-industry focused section in partnership with TechConnect WV and is offered free to both job seekers and hiring employers.
• GWV Fellowship Nine-month leadership development training program for emerging and mid-career professionals in West Virginia, featuring five in-person and four virtual sessions. Funded through a mix of participant tuition and corporate sponsorship (e.g., EQT for 2026).
• NewForce Six-month, fully remote, tuition-free tech-training school designed to build a tech economy in West Virginia that works for everyone. Targets West Virginia residents seeking entry into tech careers.
• WV Connected Communities Network Statewide stakeholder network led by Generation West Virginia that convenes broadband providers, agencies, and community members through quarterly statewide and regional calls to collaborate on broadband, digital skills, and workforce development.
• Digital Equity Plans County-level digital equity plans developed for 18 West Virginia counties in partnership with the WV Office of Broadband and Regional Optical Communications through the Connect Humanity Appalachia Digital Accelerator, designed to unlock funding and meet digital inclusion goals.
• Broadband Program (Telehealth Planning) Program supporting telehealth planning for rural health systems in Fayette, Boone, and Lincoln Counties, delivered through the USDA Broadband Technical Assistance Program in partnership with Essential Project Management and National Telehealth Advisors.
• Pathways to Progress Conference Annual statewide conference bringing together employers, educators, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss workforce development, economic opportunity, and community growth in West Virginia.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of Fellowship participants reported significant growth in professional network, relevant skills, and meaningful connections within West Virginia
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and support.

• TechConnect West VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on tech-industry job board within Career Connector, creating a centralized platform for tech employers to share job opportunities and connect with qualified candidates in West Virginia.
• Connect HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Appalachia Digital Accelerator initiative to develop Digital Equity Plans across 18 West Virginia counties, working with WV Office of Broadband and Regional Optical Communications.
• WV Office of BroadbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partner in digital equity planning initiative, collaborating on county-level plans to unlock funding and opportunities for broadband access.
• Regional Optical CommunicationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partner in digital equity planning across 18 counties, providing infrastructure expertise alongside GWV and WV Office of Broadband.
• Essential Project ManagementsupportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialized firm brought in to support telehealth planning projects with rural health systems, working alongside National Telehealth Advisors and GWV Broadband Program.
• National Telehealth AdvisorssupportTechnology or IntegrationSpecialized telehealth consulting firm engaged to help rural health systems develop sustainable telehealth and digital health access programs.
• RISI (Rural Innovation Strategies)supportImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDeveloped 2025 Funding Strategy Toolkit in partnership with GWV to help communities develop funding strategies for broadband access projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Generation Network (Generation: You Employed): Global nonprofit workforce development organization with a similar model of employer-aligned, tuition-free training programs targeting underemployed populations. Comparable in mission (employment pathways) and structure (501(c)(3)-style funding) to GWV.
• Year Up: Workforce development nonprofit providing training, mentorship, and corporate internships to young adults — directly analogous to the GWV Fellowship/NewForce combination in target audience (young talent), corporate partnership model, and leadership development focus.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech training and career advancement, closely mirroring the NewForce program structure (6-month tuition-free tech school targeting underemployed populations).
• TechConnect West Virginia: West Virginia-based nonprofit advancing the state's tech economy and tech job board — partnered with GWV on Career Connector and overlapping on tech workforce development, making it a direct peer with both collaboration and overlap.
• Connect Humanity: Digital equity funder/partner that runs the Appalachia Digital Accelerator alongside GWV. Direct peer in the digital equity planning and broadband access space, with shared county-level engagement work in WV.

Broad incumbents

• Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC): Federal-state economic development partnership covering the Appalachian region including WV. ARC is both a funder (provided GWV's disclosed $523K grant) and a broader player whose workforce and infrastructure programs compete for attention and dollars in the same geography.
• National Digital Inclusion Alliance: National coalition advancing digital equity and broadband access; GWV's Broadband Program Director is a member of its Connectivity Policy Corps. Operates in the same digital inclusion space at significantly broader scale.

Emerging players

• Code for America: Nonprofit applying technology to government services and digital inclusion — adjacent to GWV's digital equity mission and similar operating model (501(c)(3), grant-funded, mission-driven tech/program work).
• Apprenti: Nonprofit apprenticeship and tech workforce intermediary with a registered apprenticeship model — comparable employer-aligned workforce training approach, though operating in different geographies.

Others

• Benedum Foundation: West Virginia-focused foundation that funds workforce, education, and economic development initiatives in the state — comparable as an ecosystem peer/funder rather than direct competitor, but relevant for assessing the regional funding landscape.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GenerationWV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/generationwv
• Instagraminstagram.com/GenerationWV

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Generation West Virginia