January 28, 2023 – HandMade in America, a nonprofit community development organization serving Western North Carolina, seeks to identify community development and economic development projects in its 25-county service area that have a natural or cultural resource focus.
The initiative is part of the nonprofit’s expanded technical assistance program that aims to increase applications and funding for those projects in rural communities across the region.
Handmade in America hired community development manager Jessica L. Kryzenske in December to lead the initiative, with partial funding provided by Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.
“We are looking to get a baseline of the number of cultural and natural resource-focused projects waiting in the pipeline in Western North Carolina to gain a better understanding of them, identify their stage of completion, and learn more about the barriers they face,” Kryzenske said.
“Our goal is to increase the number of projects that seek funding as well as the number that secure funding,” she said. “We hope to do this in a number of ways, such as providing technical assistance, developing leadership, identifying new projects, creating new relationships with funding partners, and helping them eliminate the barriers they face.”
Communities and organizations with natural or cultural resources projects planned or under way are asked to send project information to Kryzenske by e-mail to jessk@handmadeinamerica.org or call her at (828) 252.0121 ext. 302.
HandMade in America grows economies through craft, transforming both individuals and communities through education, entrepreneurship and economic development. HandMade in America has an 18-year tradition for pioneering innovative ways to empower the people and towns of Western North Carolina through programs that educate and facilitate the needs of creative entrepreneurs and communities. More information is available online at
www.handmadeinamerica.org or by calling (828) 252-0121 ext. 307.