CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  West Virginia University and Marshall University are teaming up to help communities across the state find new uses for blighted former industrial sites known as brownfields.

Through the new Marshall-WVU Foundation for Overcoming Challenges and Utilizing Strengths (FOCUS) for West Virginia Brownfields program, cities may apply for grants of up to $5,000 to redevelop abandoned or vacant industrial sites.

 The program, administered by the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at WVU, initially focused on sites in northern West Virginia. Under the new partnership with Marshall and its Brownfields Assistance Center, the program will expand to offer statewide assistance next year.

"Development professionals across the state will now be able to tap into the funding opportunities and technical assistance that the FOCUS West Virginia Brownfields program provides," said George Carico, program coordinator for Marshall's Brownfields Assistance Center.

The program, funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, "offers communities a starting point to create a plan of action to turn community eyesores into assets," said Patrick Kirby, director of the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center.

The program makes direct financial assistance available to communities, and helps them apply for grants from other sources as well.

Examples of brownfields are former gas stations, manufacturing and processing plants, and scarred mine lands.

A Web-based conference call training session for prospective applicants will be held at noon on both Dec. 1 and Dec. 3. Communities are urged to make reservations for the sessions by sending e-mail to focu...@mail.wvu.edu or by calling 304-293-2867, extension 5447.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --  West Virginia University and Marshall University are teaming up to help communities across the state find new uses for blighted former industrial sites known as brownfields.

Through the new Marshall-WVU Foundation for Overcoming Challenges and Utilizing Strengths (FOCUS) for West Virginia Brownfields program, cities may apply for grants of up to $5,000 to redevelop abandoned or vacant industrial sites.

 The program, administered by the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center at WVU, initially focused on sites in northern West Virginia. Under the new partnership with Marshall and its Brownfields Assistance Center, the program will expand to offer statewide assistance next year.

"Development professionals across the state will now be able to tap into the funding opportunities and technical assistance that the FOCUS West Virginia Brownfields program provides," said George Carico, program coordinator for Marshall's Brownfields Assistance Center.

The program, funded by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, "offers communities a starting point to create a plan of action to turn community eyesores into assets," said Patrick Kirby, director of the Northern West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center.

The program makes direct financial assistance available to communities, and helps them apply for grants from other sources as well.

Examples of brownfields are former gas stations, manufacturing and processing plants, and scarred mine lands.

A Web-based conference call training session for prospective applicants will be held at noon on both Dec. 1 and Dec. 3. Communities are urged to make reservations for the sessions by sending e-mail to focu...@mail.wvu.edu or by calling 304-293-2867, extension 5447.