Updated PA Wilds Resource Guides now available
Entrepreneurs and community leaders are invited to check out the updated PA Wilds Resource Guides, now available at WildsCoPA.org/business-tools.
The PA Wilds Resource Guides list grants, loans, technical assistance, marketing support and other resources available to organizations in the 13-county Pennsylvania Wilds region. There is a separate guide for each county in the PA Wilds, as well as a region-wide guide.
These free and downloadable guides are produced by the PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to integrate conservation and economic development in a way that strengthens and inspires communities of the PA Wilds. The PA Wilds is a designated Conservation Landscape by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, as well as a designated Tourism Region by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. PA Wilds Center serves as the external lead organization for the PA Wilds Conservation Landscape, helping to convene partners around the effort to brand the region as a premier outdoor recreation destination as a way to diversify local economies, inspire stewardship, attract investment, retain population and improve quality of life.
As part of the effort, the PA Wilds Center oversees the PA Wilds Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, which includes several programs designed to help regional organizations leverage the brand and grow. The backbone of the PA Wilds entrepreneurial ecosystem is the Wilds Cooperative of PA network, which includes about 500 businesses, nonprofits and communities from across the region.
The Wilds Cooperative network is free to join and there are no annual dues. Once in the program, members are able to take advantage of other parts of the ecosystem, including branding and marketing tools, opportunities to sell products and services within PA Wilds platforms, networking and educational opportunities, as well as referrals to assistance providers.
“These Resource Guides are important to the PA Wilds entrepreneurial ecosystem, as they help make connections between rural businesses and communities and the resources available to them,” said LaKeshia Knarr, Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Director at PA Wilds Center. “Our team has been compiling and updating this list of resources for years, and the guides continue to grow as we become aware of new information. Whether a startup or a long-established business, there are likely resources out there that can provide support and help you grow.”
For more information about the Wilds Cooperative of PA, visit WildsCoPA.org/about.
RECENT WCO NETWORK NEWS + UPDATES
- PA Route 6 Alliance: Supporting a scenic heritage corridor
The PA Route 6 Alliance champions the Pennsylvania section of this transcontinental highway, promoting the plethora of rich heritage and beauty still alive along the route. - Wilds Cooperative members can sign up for PA Wilds Marketplace, Makers Market
You MAKE things in the PA Wilds. Here’s an opportunity to SELL them! The PA Wilds Makers Market is an online exhibitor event on November 4, which features products only found in the Pennsylvania Wilds on ShopThePAWilds.com. Register by August 31 to participate! - New Trail Brewing Co : Inviting us to take new adventures
New Trail Brewing Co. in Williamsport, PA, loves the outdoors as much as they love beer! The company was formed to make great beer to enjoy when you “dare to explore new places, do new things, take new trails, and have truly memorable adventures.”
