Arts Center Becomes Civic Hub, Hosts Grant Training and Safety Demo
The Jack Caffrey Arts and Cultural Center in Welch is expanding its role beyond arts and retail by hosting full day, no cost Grants 101 workshops and a BolaWrap public demonstration for regional law enforcement and public safety departments. These events build grant writing capacity for nonprofits and small businesses and introduce non injurious restraint technology to first responders, a combination that could affect funding access and public safety practices across McDowell County.
The Jack Caffrey Arts and Cultural Center in Welch has been hosting recurring programming that positions the venue as a civic convening space for nonprofits, small business leaders, local government and first responders. Recent offerings publicized for the center include a Grants 101 workshop presented through the West Virginia Grant Resource Centers in partnership with the McDowell County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a BolaWrap public demonstration aimed at regional law enforcement and public safety departments.
The Grants 101 sessions are full day, no cost workshops designed to make local organizations grant ready. Programming covers finding grants, writing proposals, budgeting and building partnerships. By focusing on those core skills, the center aims to raise local capacity to compete for public and private funding, a practical lever for expanding services, preserving jobs and supporting small business investment in a county with limited local resources.
Separately, the center hosted a BolaWrap demonstration that introduced restraint technology to area departments and public audiences. The demonstration highlighted BolaWrap as a potential non injurious tool for gaining compliance during crisis situations. Local television coverage noted participation by regional law enforcement and public safety agencies, signaling interest in new equipment and training options among first responders.
For McDowell County residents the combined programming matters because it links two critical strands of community resilience. Grant training helps organizations tap external funds that can sustain social services, cultural projects and business development. Public safety demonstrations expose community leaders and officers to tools that could change use of force practices and training protocols. Both forms of programming encourage regional collaboration by bringing multiple stakeholders into a single local venue.
The Jack Caffrey Center is listed as a venue by the county CVB and event postings for Grants 101 and the BolaWrap demonstration have been publicized through regional channels. As rural communities seek ways to rebuild local capacity, this model of turning arts space into practical civic infrastructure provides a locally tailored approach to economic and public safety challenges.
