The Best Business Grants in Virginia

The BBB Foundation

The BBB Breakthrough Accelerator provides emerging small business owners with a 12-week accelerator program valued at over $5,000, culminating in a microgrant (typically $1,000 to $1,500) awarded to every graduate at the end of the program. Administered by the BBB Foundation for Education and Entrepreneurial Leadership (FEEL), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliated with the Better Business Bureau, the accelerator is delivered in person at BBB campuses across the country, including Cromwell (CT), Fresno (CA), Phoenix and Prescott (AZ), Richmond (VA), and San Diego (CA).

The program equips small business owners with the strategies, mentorship, and tools needed to grow with intention, resilience, and integrity, with particular focus on those building without consistent access to traditional resources or support systems. Participants pay a $99 program and materials fee to attend, and the curriculum covers core business topics including branding and digital presence, financial and legal foundations, sales, marketing, AI strategies, operations and leadership, and entrepreneurial resilience.

To qualify, applicants must be actively running a registered, revenue-generating business with at least six months of operation, be early in their growth journey, and be ready to strengthen operations and scale with intention. In addition to the microgrant and educational programming, graduates receive one-on-one mentorship and strategy calls, on-site childcare during sessions, complimentary professional headshots, business tools to strengthen their online presence, curated networking with industry leaders and peers, and (at the San Diego location only) six months of coworking, podcast studio, and meeting room access.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$1,500

City of Charlottseville

The Commercial Energy Efficiency Grants provide small businesses and nonprofits in Charlottesville (with limited availability in Albemarle County) with up to $5,000 in incentive funding to make energy-saving upgrades to their location. Administered by the Community Climate Collaborative (C3) in partnership with the City of Charlottesville, with additional private-donor funding available for Albemarle organizations, the program is structured across three tiers of qualifying improvements, with each tier capped by both a dollar amount and a percentage of project cost, whichever is lower.

Level 1 (Insulation and Weatherization) provides up to $1,000 or 50 percent of project cost and covers weather stripping, storm windows, attic insulation, and air-sealing. Level 2 (Small Business Improvements) provides up to $1,500 or 30 percent of project cost and covers LED lighting fixtures and sensors, solar window film, refrigeration improvements, and programmable thermostats. Level 3 (HVAC and Appliances) provides up to $2,000 or 30 percent of project cost and covers HVAC heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and Energy Star appliances. Nonprofit applicants can add up to $500 to any level in excess of the cost cap. Level 2 measures match Dominion Energy's Small Business Improvement Program, so utility rebates from Dominion stack on top of the C3 incentive to further reduce out-of-pocket costs.

To qualify, applicants must qualify as a small business under the Code of Virginia (or as an equivalent nonprofit), be headquartered with a physical location in Charlottesville or Albemarle, and operate no more than three physical locations in the area. Home-based businesses are not eligible. Before accessing the grant, organizations must first receive an energy walkthrough performed by C3 or another certified contractor to identify eligible upgrades.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$4,500

Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority

The VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund provides new, startup, and emerging small businesses in Southwest Virginia's e-Region with dollar-for-dollar matching grants of up to $10,000 to support business launch and early-stage growth. Administered by the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA), the program was established in 2017 to address access-to-capital barriers for small businesses in the region and to attract new small businesses from outside the e-Region to relocate there. Since launching, the program has assisted more than 200 new startups and has been credited with a 34-to-1 return on investment in an independent Virginia Tech study.

To qualify, applicants must secure dollar-for-dollar matching funds from one or more other sources in at least the amount requested from VCEDA, operate a for-profit business that is no older than one year from the application date, currently employ or plan to employ fewer than 10 full-time employees, and intend to create or retain at least one full-time job within the e-Region within one year of application. Eligible business categories are reviewed and set annually by the VCEDA Board. Applications are typically reviewed twice per year, subject to fund availability. Interested applicants begin the process by working with their local Small Business Development Center (Mountain Empire Community College or Southwest Virginia Community College SBDC), which helps coordinate the application with VCEDA. Applicants are also required to obtain a letter or resolution of support from the county industrial development authority of the county where their project is located, or from the Norton Industrial Development Authority for businesses in the City of Norton.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Virginia Department of Agriculture

The Virginia AFID Infrastructure Grant Program provides Virginia political subdivisions with competitive reimbursement grants of up to $50,000 per project to fund community infrastructure development projects that support local food production and sustainable agriculture. Administered by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) through the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (AFID), the program is designed to build community-level infrastructure that primarily benefits smaller, newer, or limited-resource farmers, ranchers, food entrepreneurs, and startup food enterprises. Grants are awarded through semi-annual funding rounds (a fall round with awards typically announced by December 31 and a spring round with awards typically announced by June 30). Grantees have two years from the award announcement to complete their project, with a possible one-year extension.

Priority project types include locally owned processing facilities such as commercial kitchens, packaging and labeling facilities, and animal slaughtering facilities, along with farmers markets, food hubs, and other agricultural aggregation facilities. Additional consideration is given to projects that benefit multiple small-scale agricultural producers and to projects located in economically distressed communities. Eligible costs include building construction and renovation, contractual services and installation costs, special-purpose equipment (such as canners, hulling processors, packing and labeling equipment, and delivery vehicles), and salaries and wages proportional to the project. Purchases of land or new buildings, marketing costs, general-purpose equipment, and educational expenses are not eligible.

Applications must be made by a Virginia political subdivision (counties, cities, towns, Industrial and Economic Development Authorities, or Planning District Commissions), and applications may be submitted on behalf of more than one locality, provided each applicant contributes matching funds and a single political subdivision serves as the lead applicant and grant administrator. The program generally requires a dollar-for-dollar (1:1) match, though Economically Distressed Localities and projects benefiting multiple small-scale agricultural producers qualify for a reduced 2:1 match. Up to 50 percent of the required match may be provided in-kind or through other matching funds, including federal grants, nonprofit contributions, and funds from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. Applicants may hold multiple active AFID Infrastructure Program grants but are eligible for only one grant award per grant round and must be in good standing with any prior AFID awards.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

Virginia Beach

A matching grant program to support small, locally-owned, and operated businesses in the City of Virginia Beach. Façade improvement grants (FIG) are reimbursements for significant exterior improvements for small, locally owned, and operated businesses located in any commercial or industrial-zoned area within the City of Virginia Beach. Funding is not an entitlement and is available on a competitive, first-come, first-served basis until funds for the fiscal year are awarded.

The program will match small business owners', or those who lease to small businesses, investments up to $10,000,for exterior building, site, and outdoor dining improvements. Grants are performance-based and will be authorized by VBDA after successful completion and evaluation of the improvements. Paid invoices and receipts must be submitted.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

City of Virginia Beach

AAG is a matching grant program offering $10,000 to $25,000 to support businesses between 2nd and 40th streets on Atlantic Avenue. The program offers a 50% match of investments up to $25,000 for exterior building, site, and outdoor dining improvements.

The program is for properties that are owned or leased from 2nd to 40th Street along Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach. All properties and applicants must be current on all City of Virginia Beach licenses, fees, and taxes.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$25,000

City of Hampton

Grants, loans, and incentives assist eligible recipients in developing economic development plans and studies designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency with the City of Hampton.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

Hampton Roads Workforce Council

The Hampton Roads Regional Apprenticeship Hub Employer Incentive provides employers and Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) sponsors in Southeastern Virginia's Hampton Roads region with reimbursement grants of up to $30,000 to help develop and expand Registered Apprenticeship Programs. Administered by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council and funded through a $6 million Apprenticeship Building America Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, the incentive is designed to help offset the initial financial risks and resource investments involved in launching or expanding a highly skilled, specialized workforce through a "grow-your-own" and "earn-while-you-learn" apprenticeship strategy.

Eligible expenses include the registration of an apprenticeship program, train-the-trainer costs, curriculum development costs, classroom education or online training, and training supplies for apprentices, with specific funding caps per activity detailed in the incentive application. Ineligible uses include training that began before the incentive agreement was executed, using funds to offset current training costs without expanding training capacity through a registered apprenticeship program, wrap-around support (such as transportation, housing, or childcare), general education not tied to specific on-the-job skills, general onboarding or orientation without a defined skill progression, mandatory compliance training without additional skill advancement, continuing education unrelated to job performance, training primarily for networking or professional association participation, construction or purchase of facilities, business relocation expenses, lobbying, and research and development.

The incentive is open to employers and sponsors of any size or cohort size operating in the Hampton Roads region of Southeastern Virginia, including the cities of Chesapeake, Franklin, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg, and the counties of Isle of Wight, James City, Southampton, York, and Eastern Shore. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until all funds are exhausted, with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council reviewing applications and notifying applicants of a decision within two weeks. Approved employers receive an incentive agreement and supporting documentation for invoicing, and payment may take up to 45 days after the Council receives the appropriate documentation to process the reimbursement request.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$30,000

Mecklenburg County

The Mecklenburg County Virginia Small Business Assistance Grants are a suite of six competitive grant programs administered by the Mecklenburg County Department of Economic Development & Tourism to support small business growth, revitalize commercial corridors, and strengthen the county's visitor economy. Applications open on an annual cycle, and each program within the suite runs as its own competitive application. Together, these programs reflect the county's focus on supporting the sectors that have historically sustained Mecklenburg County, including small family businesses, agritourism operations, and the lake-based recreational economy.

Four of the six programs are direct small business grants offered as 1:1 matching grants that are paid as a 50 percent reimbursement to the applicant after project completion. The Business Growth Grant provides up to $50,000 to fund a one-time expense related to general business needs such as equipment, tools, professional services, or computer hardware and software, with four grants awarded per cycle. The Commercial Property Demolition Grant provides up to $50,000 to support the demolition of blighted or underused commercial structures and help move properties toward redevelopment, with two grants awarded per cycle. The Home-Based Business Transition Grant provides up to $15,000 to help home-based businesses transition into commercial locations, with two grants awarded per cycle. And the E-Commerce Grant provides up to $10,000 to help small businesses establish or enhance their virtual presence, add online payments or shopping tools, or strengthen their cybersecurity, with two grants awarded per cycle.

Two additional programs support Mecklenburg County's tourism economy. The Tourism Development Fund is a Mecklenburg County Tourism Zone Incentive designed to attract larger, transformational tourism-related projects that bring significant private investment, create new quality jobs, secure needed amenities, and serve as catalysts for long-term economic development. The Tourism Marketing Support Grant provides financial assistance to eligible tourism partners for marketing projects that attract visitors, encourage overnight stays, and strengthen the county's visitor economy.

Common eligibility requirements across the programs include being a locally owned small business physically located in Mecklenburg County, holding a current business license (where required at the applicant's location), being in good standing with all county programs, ordinances, and taxes, and signing up for the county's email listing for business resource information. Nonprofit organizations are not eligible for any of the programs, and home-based businesses may apply for some (but not all) programs, depending on program-specific rules.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

City of Newport News

The City of Newport News offers small grants to eligible e-commerce businesses, with a special focus on women-owned and minority-owned e-commerce businesses. Most businesses can get up to $2,500 in grant money; women and minority-owned businesses can get up to $4,500.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$4,500

City of Newport News

The objective of the Façade Improvement Grant (FIG) program is to restore, sustain, and improve commercial properties located within the City of Newport News. The FIG program provides matching grant funds, up to a maximum of $20,000, to assist with eligible façade improvements on properties citywide that are used for commercial, industrial, office or mixed-use purposes.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$20,000

Roanoke Economic Development

This program helps businesses grow and modernize by offering a 50/50 match on eligible equipment purchases.

Elligible businesses can receive up to $20,000 in matching grant funds.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$20,000

Campbell County

The Start Small Campbell Grant is a $5,000 competitive grant that supports new businesses in Campbell County, Virginia during their initial start-up period. Administered by the Campbell County Department of Economic Development, the program awards up to four grants per year through two semi-annual application cycles, with the goal of cultivating new successful businesses in the county by pairing grant funding with an emphasis on entrepreneurial training and business planning.

To qualify, applicants must be a business that is less than three years old or opening their first Campbell County location, hold a valid Campbell County, Town of Altavista, or Town of Brookneal business license, and be current on all local taxes. Eligibility is limited to businesses with a permanent Campbell County location that are anticipated to produce recurring local tax revenue. Mobile, itinerant, temporary, or primarily online/remote businesses are ineligible unless they can demonstrate a fixed local facility and a meaningful county tax contribution. Businesses that have not yet opened at the time of application must have a signed lease and a committed opening date before a grant award will be issued.

Applicants must attend at least two qualifying workshops through the Small Business Development Center within the 12 months before the cycle end date. The application also requires completion of the SSCG Business Plan Template, one year of financial documentation (with instructions varying depending on the age or stage of the business), a projection statement covering years two and three, and a business plan review with an approved SSCG Mentor (which must be scheduled at least three weeks before the application due date to allow time for revisions). All application documents are uploaded through the online submission form, and staff review each submission for completeness before it is presented to the Review Committee. Applicants awarded a grant do not need to repay it.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

City of Suffolk

The City of Suffolk offers a Small Business Improvement Grant to local retail and restaurant operations to help them fund building improvements. Businesses can get grants equal to up to 50% of their project costs, not to exceed $10,000. Companies must commit to creating at least one new, full-time job to qualify.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The International Trade Facility Grant Program gives grants to eligible international trade facilities (ITFs) that increase qualified trade activities at port facilities in Virginia. To qualify, companies must also improve their port cargo volume growth by 5% from the previous year. The grant amount is $3,500 per new job created from the increased trade activities.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity

The SBIG program provides a meaningful return on investment from the Commonwealth to encourage individuals or special purpose entities (created for the purpose of investing in small businesses) to make cash investments in Virginia’s small businesses for working capital, growth, and expansion.

SBIG grants are awarded to eligible Investors that have invested in eligible small businesses. They are not grants awarded to the small business that received the investment.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The Supply Chain Optimization Program is designed to help Virginia businesses looking to improve their supply chain processes to pursue exporting initiatives. Eligible companies can apply for up to $10,000 in reimbursement for expenses associated with supply chain enhancement. Companies also receive expert guidance on supply chain mapping, transportation, import compliance, and more.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority

The VCEDA Telehealth Fund is a grant fund established to help address telehealth and telemedicine needs in the VCEDA region.

For-profit and nonprofit entities and industrial or economic development authorities in the VCEDA region are eligible to apply for funds from the VCEDA Telehealth Fund. Available funding is based upon annual appropriation from the Virginia General Assembly.

Grant funds provided by VCEDA under this program must be used for initiatives intended to address telehealth and telemedicine needs in the VCEDA region.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority

VCEDA’s Coalfield Workforce Development and Training Fund is a source of loan and/or grant funds to assist with workforce development and training in the VCEDA Region. Eligible applicants for the Coalfield Workforce Development and Training Fund include for-profit enterprises or entities, governmental or corporate instrumentalities in the coalfield region of Virginia, not-for-profit enterprises or entities, nonprofit industrial development corporations, economic development authorities, or industrial development authorities.

Funds may be approved as loans and/or grants. Funds may be approved and used for workforce development and training and associated costs, including costs and expenses of curriculum development, training equipment, training facilities construction, instructional materials, stipends, scholarships, tuition, internships, training or retraining instructional costs, retraining costs, recruiting expenses, job advertisements, pre-employment classes, assessments, classroom instructional expenses, process skill instruction, and/or instructor travel expenses, and costs associated with the foregoing. The program is funded from revenues that were previously generated by the Coalfield Employment Enhancement Tax Credit.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$100,000

City of Virginia Beach

The Virginia Beach Small Business Grant provides Virginia Beach small businesses with reimbursement grants of up to $10,000 to help expand access to funding, particularly for historically underserved and marginalized entrepreneurs. Part of the Virginia Beach Economic Development Investment Program (EDIP) Part F and administered by the City of Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA), the program is designed to support the growth and stability of women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, as such terms are defined in Virginia Code § 2.2-4310. Applications are accepted in 30-day cycles while funding is available, with each new cycle announced with at least 10 days' notice.

Grant funds may be used for working capital for the purchase of inventory or renewables, marketing and advertising expenses, development of online or mobile presence, equipment and supplies purchases, business expansion, real estate acquisition, and other business development purposes identified by the business and approved by the VBDA. Ineligible uses include payroll, insurance, salaries, lease payments, and personal expenses. Grants are issued as reimbursements, with written documentation required before payment; at the discretion of the Director of Economic Development, grants may in some cases be prepaid for an approved use.

To qualify, an applicant must be a micro-business (as defined in §15.2-965.2 of the Code of Virginia) or a service-disabled veteran business with fewer than 25 employees, hold a valid Virginia Beach business license, have operated in the City for at least one year (documented through tax returns or other acceptable evidence), be current on all local taxes and fees, and not have received any other grant from the VBDA or the City within the past 12 months. Applicants cannot employ any officer, official, or employee of the City of Virginia Beach, the VBDA, or the Minority Business Council. Not-for-profit entities, chains with more than three locations, national franchises, and adult-themed establishments are not eligible.

To apply, businesses must first attend a pre-application workshop hosted by The HIVE (Virginia Beach's business resource center) either in person or virtually. Attendees receive access to the application portal after the workshop and submit an application, a Disclosure Statement Form, and required documentation including a current business license, business or strategic plan, articles of incorporation or organization, and a profit and loss statement or other evidence of one year of operation. Additional scoring points are awarded to businesses that are women, minority, service-disabled veteran, or veteran-owned, businesses in operation for more than one year, and applicants who submit a credit report. Applications are date-stamped and reviewed by a Selection Committee in the order they are received, with incomplete applications returned for correction (and any resubmission moved to the back of the queue). Grant recipients must commit to attending several business counseling sessions at The HIVE as part of the award.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Virginia Economic Development Incentive Grants are designed to attract competitive projects to Virginia. Projects must be significant, creating hundreds of jobs in Virginia by relocating headquarters, administrative, or service sector operations to Virginia. Depending on location and wages offered, companies must create between 200 and 400 jobs, ranging from 150 to 200 percent of the local prevailing wage, and meet minimum capital or job investment requirements. Award amounts vary and are calculated based on a return-on-investment analysis, jobs and wages, capital investment, regional unemployment and poverty figures, and more.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$1,000,000

Virginia Department of Housing and Urban Development

Virginia Enterprise Zone Job Creation Grants incentivize businesses that bring jobs to areas falling within defined Enterprise Zones. Eligible companies may claim grants for up to 350 jobs per year and must create over four full-time jobs to qualify for a five-year grant period. Awards are per-employee and range-based on the salary offered, benchmarked against the federal minimum wage or the Virginia minimum wage, whichever is higher. For jobs providing 150% of the minimum wage, companies receive up to $500 per worker. Those offering 175% of the minimum wage get up to $800 annually per worker. In areas with high unemployment, companies can receive a defined grant of $500 for jobs paying 125% of minimum wage and $800 for jobs paying 175%.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$280,000

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The Virginia Global Business Internship Program reimburses companies up to $6,000 for a talented university student to perform a ten-week summer internship at a Virginia company. Students will further the company’s export capacity and make progress on its international business expansion strategies. Eligible companies have at least five employees and operate in Virginia.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$6,000

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

The Virginia Jobs Investment Program (VJIP) is a discretionary incentive that provides funding and services to qualifying companies to support new job creation or upskilling in conjunction with new or expanding operations. The cash grant and accompanying services are intended to offset a company’s recruitment and training costs.

The funding for each net new, full-time job created or full-time employee retrained is based on a customized budget determined by an assessment of the company’s recruiting and training activities, as well as the project’s expected benefit to the Commonwealth. The final budget and proposal are approved in advance of the project by the Secretary of Commerce and Trade.

VJIP support is typically for a 36-month period. Companies can be reimbursed 90 days after the new employee is hired (for new jobs programs) or after the retraining activity is complete (for retraining programs).

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority

VCEDA operates a Renewable Energy Fund to help attract new green jobs and investment to Southwest Virginia's e-Region and to help diversify its economy.

Projects eligible for funding from the Renewable Energy Fund include commercial/industrial generation projects using renewable energy sources; manufacture of renewable energy products and components; and workforce development and training projects to prepare the region’s workforce for renewable energy jobs.

Funding is available as low-interest loans and/or grants for real estate acquisition, building construction, equipment purchases, and other physical improvements adding value to real estate, including associated soft costs. Grants are available to assist with workforce development and training, including tuition reimbursement, internships, and training equipment.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$1,000,000

Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority

The Seed Capital Matching Fund provides a source of matching grant funds to assist new, startup, and emerging small businesses located within Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and to attract new small businesses from outside the region to locate here. Since the program was established in 2017, more than 200 new business startups have been assisted in the region by the Seed Capital program and hundreds of full-time and part-time jobs have been created.

The applicant must have dollar-for-dollar matching funds from one or more other sources in at least an amount sufficient to match funds requested from VCEDA. No applicant can be approved for more than $10,000 under this program.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000

Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation

VIPC’s venture capital program, Virginia Venture Partners (VVP), supports entrepreneurs and founding teams building transformative companies in Virginia. VVP invests in technology, cybersecurity, life sciences, energy, and aerospace startups through grants, pre-seed, and seed-stage funding, providing the critical support needed to fuel company growth and success.

The Launch Grant is a $50,000 grant opportunity for the next generation of transformative companies at the earliest stage of formation. Companies must meet the eligibility criteria outlined. A 1:1 non-dilutive capital or in-kind match is required.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$50,000

City of Waynesboro

The Building Improvement Grant is an annual, competitive, reimbursable grant available for businesses in the downtown and East Main Street qualifying area to make improvements to the front of their buildings. Based on annual appropriation from City Council, the grant program is announced in July of each year with applications due in September. Applications are reviewed and scored with grantees announced in late September of each year. There are two categories of improvements: façade or landscaping, offering up to $5,000 in funding.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

United Way Charlottesville

The Business Development Grant provides Greater Charlottesville small businesses with $5,000 grants to help empower and sustain local entrepreneurs. Administered by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville in partnership with the Minority Business Alliance of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce, the program awards multiple grants each year to local small businesses, with the goal of addressing one of the most common barriers to small business success: a lack of affordable capital. Since 2019, the partnership has awarded over $150,000 in grants to local small businesses, including six businesses awarded $5,000 each in the most recent cycle. Funds may be used for equipment acquisition, inventory, and operating expenses, including business promotion. Applications typically become available each summer, and attendance at a virtual information session is often required to apply.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$5,000

United Way Charlottesville

The Envision Enterprise Grant provides Greater Charlottesville small businesses with $10,000 grants to support growth and expansion. Administered by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville in partnership with the City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development and the Albemarle County Office of Economic Development, the program is intended for small, financially stable, for-profit businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals in the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County. Funds may be used for a range of growth-related expenses, including hiring additional employees, ordering supplies and inventory, and investing in marketing. To be eligible, businesses must be located and licensed in the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County, have been in operation for at least two consecutive years, have no more than 25 employees, generate net income of less than $200,000, and serve as the sole source of employment income for an owner who works for the business full-time. Current and former United Way of Greater Charlottesville grant recipients or Prosper program participants that received funding within the past calendar year are not eligible.

$ GRANT AMOUNT

$10,000