Commonwealth announces $1.1 million in GO Virginia grants

Gov. Ralph Northam has announced five regional projects funded through GO Virginia (Growth and Opportunity for Virginia) grants totaling $1.1 million.

These grants are for projects each region identified as vital to their efforts to diversify the regional economy, strengthen their workforce and support collaborative programs between localities, public entities and private businesses.

The GO Virginia per-capita grant funds will be used to implement projects that align with each region’s growth and diversification plans. These plans provide an assessment of the economic, workforce and structural barriers in the region, as well as the existing regional economic drivers and potential growth sectors in each region.  Projects that address these challenges and opportunities are the first step toward the creation of higher paying jobs in the regions.

The 2018 Round 3 regional per-capita grant awards include:

• $250,000 to the United Way of Southwest Virginia to expand Ignite program internships in the region.
• $76,000 for the Enhancing the Region through New Technology for Unmanned Systems program, a new drone technology training program at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College to capitalize on the Alleghany Highlands Drone Zone Initiative surrounding the development of unmanned systems facilities in the region.
• $300,000 for Center for Energy Research and Education (CERE) Industry Labs, which will be created at Liberty University in Lynchburg.
• $244,300 for the expansion of the Regional Acceleration and Mentorship Program (RAMP), which offers technology‐based startups access to classroom education, mentoring and assistance in identifying capital.
• $245,000 to redevelop the former George Washington Carver High School into the state-of-the-art GWC Piedmont Technical Education Center to train machinists and welders in Culpeper and Fauquier counties.