Updates from the Office of Economic Development

City Delivers an Additional $690,000 in Relief to Small Businesses

The City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development (OED) is pleased to announce that 123 small businesses will receive funds from the second round of the Small Business Relief Grant (SBRG) program. The program received 63 new qualified applications between October 19^th and October 23^rd and funded 60 previously received and qualified applicants from the initial round of applications in July. Nine event focused non-profit organizations received relief funding as well. For a full summary click HERE.

City's Entrepreneurship Training Class Graduates

The Office of Economic Development’s third GO Start-Up class graduated virtually on Friday, October 30^th. Nine City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle residents gave a graduation speech and pitches their businesses to families, community members, and program supporters. Congratulations once again to Alloire Thomas (Lor Leigh Boutique), Courtney Brown (Eudemonia), Fiona Smith (Pure & Glo), Gabriana Ebron (Effie’s Gourmet Treats), Jamie Davis (Davis Moving Service), Jane Stinely (Smart Food Smart Fitness), Lamia West (Revolutionaries), Norkeita Goins (Caked Up Cville), and NyShae’ Carter (Yanara K. Consulting) on completing the program!

Better Business Challenge Applications Closing This Month

The Community Climate Collaborative (C3)’s Better Business Challenge deadline is Friday, November 19^th. Increase your energy efficiency and sustainability with the Better Business Challenge Mini-Grant program. This sustainability program awards mini-grants to income-qualifying businesses that apply for funding to access energy efficiency goods and/or services. The goal of this grant program is to increase your business's sustainability through daily operations, as well as reap cost savings opportunities, enhance your brand, and engage in a community-wide effort with some great recognition! To access the application, please visit their website. If you want to apply for the energy efficiency grant, please contact Claire Habel (claire@theclimatecollaborative.org).

Valente Pasta in the National Spotlight

A big congratulations to Valente Pasta for appearing on the national talk show The View. Valente’s started in 1982 and continues today as a family owned business. Read the full news story about their appearance on The View.

Charlottesville/Albemarle Receive Top Town Accolades

The Charlottesville area was recently named the 2020 Top Adventure Town for a mid-sized town in the 11^th annual contest held by popular regional outdoors publication Blue Ridge Outdoors. The announcement was made on Friday afternoon via a live Facebook event, hosted by Blue Ridge Outdoors. This year’s contest began with 100 adventure hubs located across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic region. More than 26,000 votes were cast over the course of several weeks and this is the first year that the Charlottesville area has received the top honor.

New Downtown Restaurant Opens

Passiflora, Latin for passion flower, and featuring a Baja-Mediterranean-inspired menu has opened on the Downtown mall in the former Commonwealth Restaurant location. In 2021 an upstairs open-air lounge will open. Passiflora is the newest creation by the Champion Hospitality Group (CHG), the hospitality arm of Champion Brewing Company in Charlottesville, Va.

Home to Hope New Support Group for Women

Home to Hope has recently created a new gender specific support group for women. This support group will allow the female participants to open up in a safe space and give them a place where they can be their authentic selves in a group setting. Home to Hope will meet with their female participants every Wednesday at 3pm starting on the first Wednesday in November. These groups will be led by our Home to Hope Peer Navigators: Ramanda Jackson and Stacey Washington. The groups will consist of a variety of topics from current events that affect women specifically. Home to Hope’s mission is to broaden horizons and services and to serve underserved populations.