The Online Newsletter for the Virginia Economic Developers Association | | |
Each summer the current and incoming VEDA leadership team gathers for a retreat. Partially to reflect on the year’s accomplishments but mostly to plan for the year ahead. My role as President is to report on the activities and accomplishments of the current year. You'll have to come to the Winter Membership Meeting to see all of the accomplishments for the year but let me say that it is an impressive list!
You’ll hear the full recap at the Winter Membership Meeting (so don’t miss it!), but I can confidently say that every committee and group within VEDA has either completed meaningful work or is on track to wrap up major initiatives by year’s end. It’s a powerful reflection of your dedication and the strength of our leadership. You all are amazing! You have day jobs that require much of your time and energy, yet you provide VEDA with that same dedication. Not only are you building your community, but you’re also investing in VEDA and the profession as a whole, making both stronger and more valuable. To each of the 100+ leaders and all the members of various committees and shared interest groups, thank you! You are what VEDA is all about. Not on a VEDA Committee or part of a SIG? Now is a great time to join and be a part of what makes the organization work. Check out the VEDA Website to learn more. It’s one of the best investments you can make in your professional growth.
Recent Results – In August, we held a very engaging and informative Economic Development Housing Forum and in the August VEDA/VEDP impactED learned some new tools to serve our organizations from the Virginia State Police and DEQ. Leadership held the planning retreat and fine-tuned the 2026 Public Policy Platform to lay the groundwork for next year’s strategic focus.
On the Radar – Our 2025 Fall Conference is shaping up to be one of the best yet! Thanks to the hard work of the Program Committee, the Fall Conference leadership and the Training & Education Committee, we have a dynamic agenda ready to go for September 17–19 in Harrisonburg. Registration is already up to 285—but there’s still time to attend the event. We hope to see you there for another fantastic opportunity to learn, connect, and grow.
Warmest regards,
Gregory Hitchin, CEcD
VEDA President
City of Waynesboro Economic Development & Tourism
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AGENDA
The agenda is almost complete and will be announced next week. More than 275 people have registered---so don't delay in securing your place at the VEDA Fall Conference in Harrisonburg! Check out our keynote speaker on Thursday morning, Rebecca Ryan.
PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES
Don't miss out on educational and fun events on Wednesday, September 17th. Sign up on through one of the links below or through the VEDA Fall Conference page on the VEDA website.
WHOVA CONFERENCE APP
DOWNLOAD TODAY
VEDA is once again using the Whova Event App! If you've registered, we've added you to the roster of attendees in the APP. All you need to do is download the APP on your phone and you're ready to go! Be sure and download soon as we will be communicating lots of conference details through the APP over the next few weeks.
See you in Harrisonburg!
| | | SPONSORS FOR THE VEDA FALL CONFERENCE | | |
Augusta Health
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Blue Ridge Community College
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Farm Credit of the Virginias
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City of Harrisonburg Economic Development
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Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc.
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InterChange Group, Inc.
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Rockbridge County
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Shenandoah Valley Airport
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City of Staunton Economic Development
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Valley Engineering
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Virginia Credit Union
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Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement
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Whittington Consulting
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Mark Your Calendar for these future events
VEDA is looking towards the future and conference locations for Spring and Fall through 2027. We're still working on a few, but here's the rundown thus far:
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Winter Membership Meeting: Thursday, December 4, 2025, Westin Hotel, Richmond
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Spring 2026: Wednesday, March 25-Friday, March 27, 2026. Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg.
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Fall 2026: Working on a Northern Virginia Location. TBA
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Spring 2027: Wednesday, March 17-Friday, March 19, 2027. Marriott Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Virginia Beach
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Fall 2027: Wednesday, September 29-Friday, October 1, 2027. Kalahari Resort & Conference Center, Spotsylvania County.
| | VEDA Leadership meets in Chesterfield to plan for 2026 | |
VEDA leadership met earlier this month at the offices of Chesterfield County Economic Development to strategize and make plans for another great year of VEDA! Led by VEDA Vice President Garrett Hart, the retreat focused on programming, public policy, and several new initiatives. VEDA leaders gather annually in the summer to make sure VEDA stays on point with the services and opportunities offered to its 640+ members.
In addition to looking ahead, current VEDA President Greg Hitchin provided an update of VEDA's 2025 accomplishments to date:
- Administratively, has updated policies on contractor services and committee / SIG leadership and began work on creating a foundation.
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Published the Guide for Elected and Appointed Officials; Economic Development is the Answer; and started work on a reformatted Public Policy Platform for 2026.
- Formalized the dues investment structure for 2026 and 2027.
- Continued to grow the peer-to-peer networking and knowledge sharing.
- Added a new Shared Interest Group.
- Partnered with VEDP and Team Virginia to hold second Virginia Consultants Forum.
- Held an awesome Spring Conference and the Fall Conference is looking pretty amazing.
- Sponsorship committee is breaking records, allowing more extras at the conferences!
- Getting back to planning meetings three to five years out.
- Partnered with Virginia Housing to create a series of virtual forums.
- Hosted VEDA Day at the General Assembly.
- Training & Education Committee has added professional development breakout sessions to the Spring and Fall Conferences.
- The Mentor Exchange is in its second year with 12 participants / pairings.
- The Comm Comm learned some new dance steps
- Social media numbers are up:
- 811 new followers added across platforms, bringing the total audience to 6,189.
- Overall engagement rate reached 14%, exceeding typical industry benchmarks.
- 5,191 total video views across platforms, with LinkedIn again leading at 2,634 views.
- Provided updated materials to the membership for Economic Development Week.
- The CED Awards attracted a record-breaking number of entries.
- Awarded $10,000 in scholarships
Many thanks to Timmons Group and Hourigan Construction for hosting Thursday's dinner and the tour of the Lego site in Chesterfield. VEDA is in good hands as always with many committed volunteers.
| | | Registration open for remaining VEDA/VEDP impactED events | | |
Registration is Open for the Virginia Institute for Economic Development
October 29-30, 2025
The Virginia Institute for Economic Development (VIED) provides training in the economic development process and outlines how this process is used to benefit Virginia's cities, counties, and towns in furthering economic growth and prosperity. During this two-day course, industry professionals will focus on the fundamentals of economic development and what the fundamentals mean to economic developers in Virginia. Participants will get a picture of "who to call" and "how to get things done" as economic developers in Virginia.
The VIED program is designed to serve the needs of new economic development professionals; economic development staff; and economic development professionals in Virginia. Local government officials and volunteer community leaders can benefit as well.
- Learn about the four fundamentals of economic development: business recruitment; business retention and expansion; entrepreneurship and small business development; and tourism.
- Learn how Virginia's history and public policy impact the Commonwealth's economic development programs at a local, regional, and state level.
- Learn strategies to build assets in your community.
- Learn the role that partners play in the economic development process.
Location: Virginia Housing Conference Center, 4224 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA
REGISTER TODAY! SEATING IS LIMITED!
| | Welcome New Members - July 2025 | |
REGION 3
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Leslie Mantiply, Senior Associate, Dewberry
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Alex McCoy, Executive Director, Virginia's Heartland Regional Economic Development Alliance
REGION 4
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Arnold Blackmon, Executive Director, Virginia Small Business Financing Authority
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Karen Meier, Business Manager - Life Sciences, Virginia Economic Development Partnership
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Amanda Maxwell, Associate Business Manager, Virginia Economic Development Partnership
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Colin Emberland, Economic Consultant, Chmura Economics & Analytics
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Riley Ford, Junior Economic Consultant, Chmura Economics and Analytics
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Joyce Blankenship, Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services
REGION 5
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Katie Kelley, Business Development Analyst, Isle of Wight County Economic Development
REGION 8
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Ally Haney, Economic Development and Marketing Assistant, City of Buena Vista
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VEDA Member News
VEDA members are active, involved, really busy people working in their communities above and beyond their "day jobs". If you have news to share, email VEDA@associationbuilders.com to see it in VEDA print!
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IEDC has announced the recipients of its 2025 Excellence in Economic Development Awards and Virginia brought home the Gold, the Silver and the Bronze! Winners below:
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Print Brochure: Culpeper County Economic Development. SILVER & Henrico County Economic Development Authority. BRONZE
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Paid Advertising Campaign: Culpeper County Economic Development. SIPS of Culpeper. GOLD
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Magazine and Newsletter: Culpeper County Economic Development. Be a Culpeper Local Newsletter. BRONZE
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Special Event: Culpeper County Economic Development. Be a Culpeper Week. SILVER
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Digital Media: Culpeper County Economic Development. Be a Culpeper Local Spotlight. BRONZE
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Entrepreneurial and Small Business Development: Hampton, VA Economic Development. REakTOR Business Technical Innovation Center. GOLD
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Talent Development and Retention: Roanoke County, VA Economic Development. Industry Insight Tours. SILVER
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Recovery, Resiliency and Mitigation: Richmond Economic Development. Small Business Recovery Grant Fund. GOLD
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Innovative Financing: Danville, VA Economic Development. Dan River Falls. GOLD
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Innovative Economic Development: Culpeper County Economic Development. Choose Culpeper Farms. SILVER & George Mason University. Innovation Ecosystem Building. BRONZE
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Public Private Partnership: Danville, VA Economic Development. Dan River Falls. SILVER
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Regional or Cross Border Partnership: Newport News and Hampton Economic Development. Liebherr Mining Co. Expansion. GOLD & Danville, VA Economic Development. Southern Virginia Regional Housing Summit. SILVER
VEDP has announced the following staff changes:
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Molly Olson was promoted to Director in the Business Investment division.
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Turner Widgen was promoted to Sr. Business Manager in the Business Investment division.
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Adam Watkins was promoted to Vice President in the Economic Competitiveness division. He previously served in the Assistant Vice President role.
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Lindsay Akers returned to VEDP on June 10, 2025, as Vice President in the External Affairs division. Most recently, Lindsay served as Legislative Director at the Office of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to the Office of the Attorney General, she worked for VEDP and the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development.
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Nate Day was promoted to Sr. International Trade Manager in the International Trade division.
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Ed Laughlin was promoted to Sr. Global Defense Manager in the International Trade division.
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Amanda Maxwell joined VEDP on June 16, 2025, as an Associate Business Manager in the Knowledge Work division. As a recent graduate of Randolph-Macon College, Amanda earned her B.A. in Business with a concentration in Management, along with minors in Economics and Communication Studies. She gained valuable public-sector experience as an Economic Development Intern and was later hired as a part-time Economic Development Student Assistant for the Town of Ashland, where she led initiatives to support small businesses and conducted community engagement efforts.
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Charlotte Teeling joined VEDP on July 14, 2025, as a Business Manager in the Knowledge Work Division. Most recently, she served as a Senior Operations Specialist, USAID Integrated Natural Resource Management Activity at DAI. Charlotte’s earlier roles include managing a $43 million USAID project portfolio across Asia, serving as a community engagement analyst for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities initiative leading cold-call outreach to key informant networks, and contributing to local policy efforts as a Policy Fellow with the Atlanta City Council. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Georgia, where she led grassroots international projects to enhance youth civic and economic participation.
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Brian Williams joined VEDP on August 4, 2025, as a Development Director in the Real Estate Solutions division. Previously, Brian was Deputy Commissioner for commercial real estate within the Loudoun County Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue. He and his team were responsible for the valuation of a $61.3B commercial portfolio, including a data center portfolio valued at $42.4B. Brian's professional career has included positions with real estate development and construction responsibility within the daycare, senior living, and multifamily industries, as well as the Fairfax County Park Authority. These positions included full responsibility for the project life cycle, including market analysis, site selection and acquisition, entitlement, design, pre-construction and construction, and close-out.
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Landon Webber was promoted to Assistant Vice President in the Research division.
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Debbie Melvin was promoted to Vice President, Talent & Partnerships. Debbie previously served as Assistant Vice President in the Regional Talent Solutions and Business Outreach (RTSBO) division.
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Mike Grundmann, Senior Vice President of the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program, retired from VEDP on June 30, 2025. Mike joined the VEDP team in 2019 to spearhead the creation of the Virginia Talent Accelerator Program in collaboration with the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). In just a few short years, the vision and unique skillset that Mike brought to VEDP enabled him to assemble a talented team and collaboratively develop what quickly became recognized as the very best customized workforce training program in the country (No. 1 in Business Facilities in 2023, 2024, and 2025) – providing world-class recruitment and training solutions that are fully customized to a company’s unique operations, equipment, standards, and culture.
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Steve Youll has been promoted to Vice President, Virginia Talent Accelerator Program. Steve was previously the Managing Director, Talent Acquisition Services.
The Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) recently elected VEDA Member Jen Kostyniuk (Dominion Energy) as alternate director. David Manley (Joint IDA of Wythe County) is in the second year of a two-year term as State Director. Joe Hines (Timmons Group) was elected as 1st Vice Chair of the Executive Committee.
| News from VEDA's Comm Comm (Communications Committee) | |
VEDA's strength is in its members and their involvement. Through committees, shared interest groups and multiple events, VEDA members are engaged and active. That is reflected in our online presence beyond our communications with members.
The VEDA Communications Committe (or Comm Comm as they like to call themselves), has been hard at work getting the word out about VEDA and why Economic Development is the Answer! Led by Jenna French (Shenandoah County Economic Development & Tourism) and Jen Kostyniuk (Dominion Energy) and supported by Stephanie Heinatz and the team at Consociate Media, the VEDA "Comm Comm" is doing great things! If you're interested in joining the Communication Committee or another VEDA Committee, CLICK HERE.
VEDA's social media wins since January include:
Strong Audience Growth
- 811 new followers added across platforms, bringing the total audience to 6,189.
- LinkedIn was the standout driver with 649 new followers, demonstrating VEDA’s growing influence among professionals in the economic development community.
- Facebook gained 107 new followers, while Instagram added 55.
High Engagement Rates
- Overall engagement rate reached 14%, exceeding typical industry benchmarks.
- LinkedIn led the way with a 16.4% engagement rate, showing the value of targeted, professional content.
- Facebook maintained a strong 12.7% engagement rate, while Instagram held at 8.5%.
Robust Content Performance
- A total of 398 posts generated 85,610 impressions and 11,964 engagements.
- LinkedIn was the top performer in impressions (43,886) and engagements (7,188), underscoring it as the primary driver of visibility and interaction.
- Facebook followed with 29,018 impressions and 3,697 engagements, while Instagram contributed 12,706 impressions and 1,079 engagements.
Video as an Engagement Tool – NEW VIDEO EMPHASIS THIS YEAR!
- 5,191 total video views across platforms, with LinkedIn again leading at 2,634 views.
- Instagram Reels (1,277 views) and Facebook videos (1,280 views) also showed steady audience interest in visual storytelling.
Active Two-Way Communication
- Responded to 257 incoming messages while sending 472 outbound messages across platforms, strengthening audience connections.
- Facebook saw the highest inbound volume (118 messages), reinforcing it as a community engagement channel.
| Take a look at the VEDA Awards Programs coming up in the second half of 2025--submit a nomination for one or all! | |
One way to get further engaged with VEDA is to participate in the Awards programs throughout the year. Awards recognizing communities in their economic development efforts (Community Economic Development Awards); individuals who are doing great things in their jobs (Rising Star Award); legislators who support economic development efforts in their regions (Michael W. Woods Legislator of the Year Award); and the top projects across the Commonwealth (Top Project Awards).
All of these Awards Programs have deadlines over the next several months---even the CEDA portal is open for 2026! Click on the links above to visit the VEDA website and learn more about these different awards. The nomination portals are all open and deadlines are posted. Use the "slower" summer months to prepare your nominations!
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DHCD
VIRGINIA MAIN STREET
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Join the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) for a series of no-cost training opportunities for nonprofit leaders and board members to strengthen your organization: The Power of Partnership (Aug. 28, Zoom) focuses on collaboration strategies to safeguard essential services amid funding uncertainty. So You Want to Be a Treasurer (Sept. 4, Zoom) breaks down financial oversight, budgeting, and how treasurers can support strong governance. REGISTER HERE. These trainings offer practical tools to strengthen your operations and leadership.
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Join Virginia Main Street (VMS) for an immersive half-day workshop exploring the critical roles that zoning and design play in successful downtown revitalization. Facilitated by Commonwealth Preservation Group—a Norfolk-based historic preservation consulting firm and the newest architectural partner for the VMS program—this session will provide valuable insights into how Main Street organizations can help shape vibrant, well-planned commercial districts. Additional details on specific topics to be covered will be shared soon. The Rev Ups will occur the week of September 15, 2025.
VEDP
- The Virginia Brownfields Restoration and Economic Redevelopment Assistance Fund (VBAF) is preparing to launch its next round of Site Remediation Grants. Program guidelines and application instructions for FY26 are available on VEDP’s website.
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Application Opens: September 2, 2025
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Application Deadline: October 17, 2025, by 5:00 p.m.
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Award Announcements: Expected in December 2025
These grants support the cleanup and redevelopment of Brownfield sites across Virginia, helping communities unlock economic potential while protecting public health and the environment.
In partnership with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), VEDP will host a webinar to review the FY26 program guidelines, walk through the application process, and share tips for preparing a strong and competitive submission. This session is highly recommended for prospective applicants interested in brownfield redevelopment opportunities across Virginia.
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Date: September 9, 2025
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Time: 2:30 p.m.
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Location: Online
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Registration: Click here to sign up for the webinar
The VBAF was established to provide grants or loans to local governments to support the restoration and redevelopment of brownfield sites. The program helps address environmental challenges or obstacles to reuse, making these properties more attractive for future economic development.
VBAF Site Remediation Grants are discretionary awards negotiated with qualified applicants to help fill financing gaps for projects or phases of work that have not yet begun.
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Grant Amounts: Up to $500,000
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Eligible Activities: remediation of a contaminated property to remove hazardous substances, hazardous wastes, or solid wastes; The necessary removal of human remains, the appropriate treatment of grave sites, and the appropriate and necessary treatment of significant archaeological resources, or the stabilization or restoration of structures listed on or eligible for the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register; or demolition and removal of existing structures, when necessary, to abate the hazardous material or other site work required to make a site or certain real property usable for new economic development.
Applications for the VBAF Site Assessment and Planning Grants are currently being accepted on a rolling basis. These grants are designed to support the restoration and redevelopment of brownfield sites by addressing environmental challenges that may hinder reuse. The goal is to make these properties more marketable for future economic development opportunities.
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Grant Amounts: Up to $50,000 per project
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Eligible Activities: Environmental assessments, planning studies, and reuse strategies
Both grants are coordinated by and awarded at the discretion of VEDP and DEQ staff (VBAF Review Committee) and administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP).
Contact Michelle Mende (804-545-5785) with questions.
VIRGINIA CHAMBER
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Your Voice Matters - Take the Blueprint Virginia 2035 Survey - Be a part of shaping Virginia's future. The Virginia Chamber Foundation is calling on leaders and community members from across the Commonwealth to share their insights through the Blueprint Virginia 2035 Statewide Survey. Input received will help guide the policy recommendations that will be presented to the Governor-elect at the Virginia Economic Summit on December 5, 2025. Ensure your region's needs and priorities are considered and influence proposed policies that strengthen Virginia's business climate. TAKE THE SURVEY TODAY!
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The Board of Directors of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce today announced the appointment of Keith Martin as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 2, 2025. He will serve in this capacity while the Board conducts a nationwide search for the organization’s next President and CEO. Martin will also assume the role of Executive Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations, where he will oversee the Chamber’s policy and advocacy agenda.
VIRGINIA HOUSING
- Virginia Housing recently announced the recipients of this year's Workforce Housing Investment Program funds. More than $16 million was allocated to localities where affordable housing is being built alongside recent economic development investments. READ MORE.
| | VEDA ANNUAL PATRONS FOR 2025 | | | | |
