The Coastal Virginia Adaptation and Resilience Consortium (CoVA A&R) is part of the Launching a Coastal Resilience & Adaptation Economy in Coastal Virginia Project that was funded by a $2.9 million grant from the Virginia Initiative For Growth and Opportunity (GO Virginia). The Coastal Resilience & Adaptation Economy in Coastal Virginia Project builds resilience entrepreneurship and innovation using RISE’s proven model, and includes product performance validation for rural Virginia.
In addition, it forms a multi-stakeholder, business focused consortium. The Coastal Resilience & Adaptation Economy in Coastal Virginia Project is a collaboration between Virginia Sea Grant, ODU’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience, RISE, Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William & Mary, and the Middle Peninsula Public Access Authority.
CoVA A&R’s mission is to grow and diversify the coastal adaptation and resilience sector by preparing business communities for changing environments and rising water levels. CoVA A&R helps urban and rural businesses in the Hampton Roads, Middle Peninsula, Northern Neck, Eastern Shore and Fredericksburg areas to respond and adapt to a future with higher water levels, providing access to education, funding and best practice resources.
CoVA A&R is a collaboration between ODU’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience, Hampton University, and the Environmental Defense Fund with support from Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, and the cities of Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach.
Learn more about the Water Adaptation Economy Project
Why Coastal Virginia?
With nearly 6 million residents, Coastal Virginia is the state’s most populous region and drives a significant part of the state’s economy.
It has vibrant urban and rural communities, mature maritime, agricultural and industrial sectors, a large military presence – including the largest naval complex in the world. Coastal Virginia is also home to more than a dozen colleges and universities including a Research-1 Institution and two HBCUs, and an active and diverse entrepreneurial culture.
Business, academic research and entrepreneurs are driving innovation to solve pressing problems related to sea level rise, including access to safe transportation, sanitation, and flooding.
Coastal Virginia is in a unique position – geographically and with our pool of talent – to serve as the world’s testing grounds in the adaptation and resilience economy. The solutions we develop, test, and implement here will be adapted and exported to other coastal regions.
The Consortium is supported and guided by a Steering Committee composed of leaders in regional planning committees, state and local government, environmental organizations, industry and higher education.
Connect with the Steering Committee
Successful Adaptation & Resilience Requires Collaboration
The Coastal Resilience & Adaptation Economy in Coastal Virginia Project is an example of how collaboration across sectors is needed to build the adaptation & resilience economic sector, which includes innovation and commercialization of resilience products and capacity, adoption, and implementation of adaptation & resilience practices.
I was very impressed with the amount of information and resources. Fantastic training, very interactive and will be able to implement in my small business.
Collaboration in Action: Chesterfield Heights, Norfolk
As part of the 2014 Tidewater Rising Resiliency Design Challenge, Wetlands Watch collaborated with the Coastal Community Design Collaborative, a partnership between Hampton University and Old Dominion University to support a student project focused on developing adaptive design solutions to recurrent flooding in the historic Norfolk neighborhood of Chesterfield Heights.
Student design ideas were incorporated into Virginia’s proposal for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s National Disaster Resilience Competition. In 2016, Virginia successfully won a $120 million grant resulting in Norfolk’s Ohio Creek Project.
Learn more about the project