UVA team outlines six resilience projects for Dickenson County under RAFT
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Summary
A University of Virginia team reported nearly a year of work in Dickenson County under the RAFT (Resilience, Adaptation and Feasibility Tool) program, presenting six community‑selected projects — including a resilience committee, energy planning, a hidden‑gems tourism map, a community navigator, a community kitchen feasibility study and resilience ordinance review — with implementation support through September 2026.
A University of Virginia team presented a year‑in review of the RAFT (Resilience, Adaptation and Feasibility Tool) engagement in Dickenson County and outlined six priority projects selected with broad community input.
Ian Baxter of UVA, who led the presentation, described RAFT as “a community driven resilience building process” offered at no cost to localities and supported by partner universities and state agencies. Dr. Amanda Hall, the RAFT community builder, said the team completed a scorecard, three public listening sessions attended by more than 100 residents and a workshop that yielded 16 candidate projects; the community and county staff then prioritized six projects for implementation.
The six projects presented are: (1) creation of a resilience committee to coordinate emergency preparedness and long‑term recovery; (2) an energy opportunities committee to explore solar, battery storage and other renewable projects for jobs and revenue; (3) a 'hidden gems' map and passport to highlight cultural and historic places and encourage tourism; (4) a county community navigator position to centralize information about social services and referrals; (5) a feasibility study for a Clintwood community kitchen to support meal delivery and commercial kitchen access; and (6) a resilience ordinance update examining local stormwater and floodplain regulations.
Baxter said the RAFT process pairs county teams with university faculty, classes and state agencies to provide implementation support so projects can move beyond planning. "We're not just coming up with a list of things and here's what's wrong," Baxter said. "We're trying to... make significant progress on those initiatives over the course of the year." Dr. Hall emphasized local engagement: the team held three input sessions, convened a 26‑member implementation team, and will run additional listening sessions for each project to collect resident feedback.
The presentation included next steps: community input sessions this spring on the community navigator and hidden‑gems map, a siting‑agreement workshop for the energy subcommittee and a public survey for the Clintwood community kitchen feasibility study. The RAFT team said it will seek grant and state support to fund projects and plans to remain involved through September 2026.
Local officials thanked the presenters and asked about staffing and sustainability; presenters said many projects will be advanced with faculty and student teams and through grant applications. The RAFT update provides a roadmap for county officials and community organizations to pursue resilience investments that combine emergency planning, economic opportunity and cultural tourism.
What happens next: County staff and RAFT project teams will schedule listening sessions and begin the feasibility work; grant and partnership opportunities will be pursued to fund implementation.
