FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2026
Charlottesville Selected by The National League of Cities for Second Phase Grant to Boost Economic Growth and Resilience
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The City of Charlottesville is proud to announce it was selected to participate in the next phase of the Southern Cities Economic Initiative (SCEI), a program led by the National League of Cities (NLC). The City will receive a second “implementation” grant from NLC of $60,000 through funding provided by SCEI’s philanthropic partners and will join 13 other cities from across the Southeastern United States to develop strategies that boost economic mobility for residents and drive long-term economic growth.
Participation in SCEI will support the City’s efforts through tailored technical assistance, peer learning opportunities, access to data and content experts from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as well as connections to national funders and assistance to leverage longer-term funding. The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta does not provide funding, nor did it participate in participant selection or decisions of grant funding of SCEI participants.
During the project’s initial planning phase, the City received planning grant to develop strategies that boost economic mobility for residents and drive long-term economic growth. The implementation grant will be used to implement the Early Learning Career Launch (ELCL) initiative, a partnership between the City of Charlottesville and United Way of Greater Charlottesville (UWGC) designed to strengthen economic inclusion by expanding and stabilizing the region’s early childhood education workforce by helping individuals in our community get the skills needed to become early childhood educators in the Charlottesville region.
“The early childhood workforce is the backbone of our system, and ELCL is transforming how we support it,” said Meredith Locascio, Vice President of School Resident Impact at UWGC. “By aligning community partners, childcare providers, and resources around a shared vision, we’re building clear pathways into the profession and creating the conditions for educators to stay, grow, and thrive. That’s how real systems change happens."
Other cities selected to participate in the initiative include Atlanta, Ga.; Center Point, Ala.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Greenville, Miss.; Harrisonburg, Va.; Jackson, Miss.; Jonesboro, Ga.; Lauderhill, Fla.; Little Rock, Ark.; Monroe, La.; Natchitoches, La.; New Orleans, La.; and Thomasville, N.C.
Chief Prosperity Officer Ashley Marshall added, “This investment allows us to move from planning to action. By expanding access to early childhood learning and supporting new workforce development opportunities, the City, in partnership with United Way, is creating pathways to stable careers while supporting families and strengthening the long-term economic health of our community.
“The South is a region of remarkable strength, innovation, and resilience, and cities across the region are primed to overcome the barriers of limited job growth, access to capital and affordable housing,” says NLC CEO and Executive Director Clarence E. Anthony. “We are pleased to see this select group of 14 cities and work with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta to build stronger, more resilient economies and create opportunities for all residents to thrive.”
The Southern Cities Economic Initiative’s implementation phase will run from January 2026 to December 2027.
This initiative is made possible through the generous support of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Learn more at https://www.nlc.org/initiative/southern-cities-economic-inclusion-scei-expanding-capacity-building-resilience/
About United Way of Greater Charlottesville:
Through our core impact areas of Financial Stability, School Readiness, and Connected Community, United Way of Greater Charlottesville connects our community, enabling individuals and families to thrive. For more information, visit www.unitedwaycville.org or follow @UnitedWayCville on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
Media Contacts
Afton Schneider
Director of Communications and Public Engagement
City of Charlottesville
434-996-0331
media@charlottesville.gov
Meredith Locascio
VP of School Resident Impact
United Way of Greater Charlottesville
434-459-0514
mlocascio@unitedwaycville.org