Va. Beach Economic Development, 1701 Coworking select entrepreneurship program participants
Virginia Beach Economic Development and Virginia Beach-based 1701 Coworking announced Friday it has selected two participants for its three-month Entrepreneur-in Residence (EIR) program. Kate Johnson with Heritage Business Services and freelance educator Meghan Raftery were selected for the program, which provides training in hiring, strategic planning and other business practices. “The entrepreneurial spirit is alive […][...]
Northam expands $70M Rebuild VA program
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday that the $70 million economic recovery program Rebuild VA is expanding its eligibility criteria to allow more small businesses to apply for economic relief grants. Under the Rebuild VA program, which launched in August, businesses that received federal CARES Act funding are now eligible to receive up to $10,000 in […]
Va. recovers 68K jobs in August
In August, Virginia employers recovered a total of 68,000 jobs (a 1.8% increase from July), but the commonwealth is still 212,600 jobs shy of where it was last year, according to employment statistics released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics. “Despite the sizable increase in August, total employment remains way below the pre-pandemic […]
Four Va. localities earn Main Street designation
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that the towns of Cape Charles, Onancock, Tappahannock and Tazewell have joined the Virginia Main Street Program, which, through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), provides services to strengthen downtown communities. Designated towns must participate in an application process to receive services including market analysis, marketplace development, capacity […][...]
NOVA, Manassas, Prince William, local groups launch workforce program
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) announced Monday it is partnering with the city of Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia Career Works and the SkillsSource Group to launch the $1.9 million ELEVATE Program to provide free education and workforce services. Funded by federal CARES Act funding, the program will also help businesses to upskill their workforces. […]
12 Va. companies join VEDP’s export trade program
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) announced Wednesday that 12 companies were accepted into its two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, which helps companies work on international exporting growth strategies. The VALET program helps Virginia companies to establish domestic operations for exports and encourages using international exporting as a growth strategy. During the […][...]
Call center company to expand Martinsville, Stuart operations
Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based call center company The Results Cos. announced Friday it would add approximately 288 jobs to its Martinsville location and 118 to its Stuart location by the end of the year. All positions will be full-time job opportunities in the call centers with wages of $11.50 to $13.50 per hour, dependent upon location […]
Loudoun County allocates additional $4.3M to small business grants
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has approved an additional $4.3 million in federal CARES Act funding to go to its COVID-19 Business Interruption Fund, which supports eligible small businesses impacted by the coronavirus with $5,000 grants. During the first three rounds of funding, Loudoun County disbursed $7.1 million to more than 1,000 businesses. “Even […]
Fed says Fifth District economy continues to improve, but activity remains low
The economy of the Fifth District of the Federal Reserve (which includes Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Maryland) has continued to improve in recent weeks, but activity has remained below pre-pandemic levels in most industries, according to the latest edition of the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, released Wednesday. The Beige Book is published […]
Augusta County expands business relief fund
The Augusta County Economic Development Authority (EDA) announced Tuesday it has expanded its Disaster Recovery Grant Fund to allow businesses that have previously received Paycheck Protection Program loans (PPP) or Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) to apply for grants of up to $15,000. “The expansion of our grant fund will allow additional Augusta County businesses […]
Staying strong
No one could have predicted 2020 would bring such dramatic changes. Civil unrest after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, coupled with a once-in-a-century pandemic, is accelerating social and economic changes around the country, including in the Richmond region. Once the capital of the Confederacy, Richmond began[...]
A tale of two authorities
The town of Front Royal is moving forward with its own economic development authority independent from its cooperative EDA with Warren County, which is still reeling under the weight of a high-profile embezzlement scandal. Front Royal is the only locality in the state with two EDAs. The move was granted earlier this year in legi[...]