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The Creekers headlined Fiddles and Fifths - Bourbon and Bluegrass Festival is past Saturday, September 12, 2026.
Photo Credit: Lexy Sacco
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Winchester Economic Development Newsletter
The City of Winchester, Economic Development Authority, focuses on attracting, expanding, and retaining economic development activity to maximize our industrial and commercial land use. Our strategy includes preserving the city's social, environmental, architectural, and cultural fabric.
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Flow Fitness and Performance
Looking to get stronger, move better, or take your athletic performance to the next level? Flow Fitness and Performance is helping Winchester-area residents and athletes reach their goals through personalized, coaching-focused training.
Located at 3127 Valley Avenue, co-owners Brad Dinklocker, Nate Sowers, and Larry Shipley offer individualized strength and conditioning programs designed around each client’s goals, experience, and needs. The facility works with both everyday fitness clients and competitive athletes, with a focus on building strength, mobility, endurance, and overall performance.
With a knowledgeable coaching team and a strong emphasis on individualized programming, Flow Fitness and Performance is a great example of a local small business helping our community stay active, healthy, and performing at its best.
| | Council OKs 4th Neighborhood Design District | 'A boon to downtown': Cameron Square construction underway | New pediatrics office opens in Winchester | | Winchester to host 4 town halls on sales tax referendum | 2 Orthopedic practices join forces to better serve patients | Master plan being developed to highlight tourism opportunities | | GRANTS, LOANS & OTHER RESOURCES | | Virginia’s AFID Grant Program provides reimbursable funding for capital projects that strengthen local food and agricultural infrastructure, including food hubs, farmers’ markets, commercial kitchens, and processing facilities. The Fall 2026 grant round opens September 14 and closes October 30. | People Incorporated of Virginia provides business services in Winchester, including business loans, technical support, and marketing assistance. | Grants for small businesses, for-profit organizations, corporations and LLC, including government, state, local federal, and foundation grant funding. | The Virginia Economic Development Partnership have launched InternshipsVA, a program to help Virginia employers create high-quality, paid internship programs. | The Virginia Small Business Financing Authority (VSBFA) provides loans, lender support, bond financing, and other funding programs to help Virginia businesses and nonprofits access the capital they need to start, grow, expand, and create jobs. | Click below for 125+ grants, loans, and scholarships for women | | Finding funding can be a challenge for businesses of all sizes. Click below to find 100 + Grants, Loans, and Programs to Benefit Your Small Business. | The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps small businesses get funding by setting guidelines for loans and reducing lender risk. | Virginia employers may qualify fo monthly stipends of $500-$1,000 for up to six months through the Virginia Department of Social Services’ Full Employment Program (FEP) when hiring eligible participants. Contact fep@dss.virginia.gov for details. | Do you need funding to grow your small business? A 7(a) loan, SBA's primary business loan option, can help. | Certificates of Free Sale are sometimes requested by foreign purchasers to assure that products are freely available and sold in the United States. To learn more and request a Certificate of Free Sale, click the link below. | The HerRise Micro-Grant provides funding to women of color who are creating a positive community impact. | | Great grant opportunities for Women Business Owners including grants. The next grant deadline is September 30, 2026. | You could receive up to $4,000 for your small business through the NASE Growth Grants program. | The Merchant offers 4,000 square feet of co-working office and event space, featuring private offices with 24/7 access and flexible terms without long contracts or high overheads. | SCCF can assist entrepreneurs who are unable to attain capital through commercial lending. Small business microloans range from $1,000 to $50,000, for small businesses that do not qualify for commercial business loans. | Click below for a list of 35+ small business grants for minority entrepreneurs. | People Inc. Financial Services (PIFS) offers more than small-business financing, they provide one-on-one advising, technical assistance, and connections to resources to help entrepreneurs and small businesses start, strengthen, and grow. | | WEBINARS, CLASSES, EVENTS & MORE | | |
Female Entrepreneurs Coffee Connect | Enjoy coffee and meaningful conversation with women entrepreneurs, founders, and industry leaders as we share ideas, resources, and inspiration to support women-led ventures and community impact. The event will be held on Thursday, November 23rd 8:30AM - 10:00 AM at The Hive at Shenandoah University. Click the link below to register. | |
The Virginia Small Business Development Center ((SBDC) offers a wide variety of webinars and in-person events. Below are just a few. Visit their website to discover all of their events and workshops here.
Upcoming SBDC Events & Webinars:
| Virginia Micro-Intership Experience | The Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) is connecting college students and recent graduates with short-term, paid professional projects. There are currently 24+ summer projects available across various industries. For more information about V-TOP, please click the link below. | The Top of VA Regional Chamber would like your feedback to help us develop TVRC's 2027 legislative priorities.The survey should take no more than 5-10 minutes of your time. | | VRLTA Restaurant Operator Survey | Virginia restaurant operators are requested to take a few minutes to complete the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association's (VRLTA) anonymous survey about the challenges facing restaurants today. Your input will help inform advocacy efforts on behalf of Virginia’s restaurant industry. Click the link below to complete the survey. | Virginia Works will offer a series of webinars that explore critical workforce development strategies, from building talent pipelines to retention solutions. | |
Upcoming VA Works Webinars:
| Free Small Business Administration Webinars | The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers free webinars and training sessions that help entrepreneurs and small business owners build essential skills in areas such as business planning, financing, marketing, government contracting, cybersecurity, and financial management. For full course offerings, click here. | Speed Networking Event for Senior Students | Local businesses are invited to connect with high school seniors as they explore what comes next after graduation. Share your career journey, introduce students to opportunities in your industry, and help them discover the many career paths available right here in our community. The event will be held on Thursday, November 12th from 10:30AM - 1:15 PM at Emil and Grace Shihadeh Innovation Center. Click the link below to register. | Upcoming Top of Virginia Regional Chamber (TRVC) Events | | Friends of Old Town in the News: Search underway for Old Town Winchester's 2026 holiday tree | Click the link below to read this story. | |
Upcoming Downtown Events:
| | Enterprise Zone Investments Show Continued Growth in 2025 | |
The City of Winchester has been an Enterprise Zone (EZ) dedicated community since 2014. EZ designation allows Winchester-based businesses to access state and local grant funding.
The EDA facilitated $358,257.12 in state Enterprise Zone grants, including:
- Job Creation Grants (JCG): $31,299.00 supporting 66 qualified jobs
- Real Property Investment Grants (RPIG): $326,958.12 supporting $7,999,746.06 in qualified private investment
The EDA also provided $236,119.89 through local incentive programs, including:
- Exterior Improvement Grant Program (EIGP): $97.764.54 in grants supporting $800,028.98 in qualified private investment
- Commercial Facade Loan Program (CFLP): $19,250.00 in loans supporting $38,500.00 in qualified private investment
- Real Estate Development Revolving Loan Fund (RED-RLF): $119,105.35 in loans supporting $340,000.00 in qualified private investment
Combined state and local Enterprise Zone assistance in CY 2025: $594,377.01
These investments reflect the EDA’s ongoing work to encourage business growth, improve commercial properties, and strengthen Winchester’s local economy.
| | If you're a local business and would like to invite members of the EDA for a tour/visit, please let us know! Send us an email at: Econ.Dev@winchesterva.gov. | | |
Economic Development Authority Meetings
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September 15, 2026 Agenda
- The next EDA Board Meeting will occur on October 20, 2026
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