Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development

This project initiates a to assess the market demand for a Cyber and Smart Tech Entrepreneur program and the capacity of Stafford County’s Economic Development Authority and Economic Development and Tourism Department to deliver such a program. GO Virginia funds will be utilized for the hiring of a consultant, R!OT, to understand the current ecosystem and plan ways to move it forward.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $97,500
  • Match: $75,000
  • Source of Match: Stafford County EDA, Stafford County Economic Development and Tourism, City of Fredericksburg, and King George County, OST, Inc. R!OT, Cyber Bytes Foundation, UMW Stafford, Germanna Community College, UMW Economic Development Department, and CIT
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: Stafford County, City of Fredericksburg, King George County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing understanding the ecosystem in which cyber entrepreneurs can build and grow in.

This project proposes a feasibility study for a commercial kitchen located at Longwood Hull Springs in Westmoreland County. Should the results of the study indicate that a commercial kitchen establishment would be feasible in the Northern Neck, the idea is to co-locate the facility in the dining hall at Longwood Hull Springs for food preparation for resident students and faculty members.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $50,000
  • Match: $50,000
  • Source of Match: US Department of Agriculture-Rural Development
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: Westmoreland County and Northumberland County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing understanding the ecosystem in which food manufacturers can operate a commercial kitchen.

This project initiates a study to complete planning activities toward building a new industry cluster in Virginia, a water management economy that integrates workforce development, research and development, innovation, and commercialization.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $49,996
  • Match: $49,996
  • Source of Match: Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission and Middle Peninsula Alliance
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: Essex County, Gloucester County, King and Queen County, Middlesex County, Mathews County, King William County, Town of Tappahannock, Town of Urbanna, and Town of West Point.
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by understanding the potential economy of water-based activities that could create entrepreneurial innovations.

This project will utilize GO Virginia funds to expand entrepreneurial support programs in the Rappahannock Region (Rapp Region). These programs include the proven RIoT Accelerator Program (RAP) and additional community-focused programming across the Rapp-Region, housed in the technology-based Virginia Smart Community Testbed in Stafford. The Testbed is an initiative spearheaded by the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and Stafford to foster and create new Smart Technologies and attract the entrepreneurs that develop them in Virginia. In partnership with CIT, GO Virginia will seed fund a Technology Specialist for the Testbed. The Specialist will coordinate entrepreneurial opportunities in the Testbed and seed funds to foster pilot project for entrepreneurs. Together with the local RIoT VA-RAP Lead, they will play an integral part in the project. The VA-RAP Lead works with entrepreneurs around their entire business, including revenue, hiring and capital growth while the Tech Specialist advises on the technology-side and integrating entrepreneurs into pilot projects or with other tech companies connected to the Testbed. Go Virginia funds will be used to pay for a portion of salaries, equipment, outreach, and workshops.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Information/Data Centers and Professional/Scientific/Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $215,000
  • Match: $204,500
  • Source of Match: Stafford County (cash & in-kind); City of Fred (in-kind); King George County (cash & in-kind); RIOT; CIT
  • Project Type: Implementation
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs? This project creates higher paying jobs by providing training to companies to grow their businesses in high growth sectors.

The Coastal Resilience and Adaptation Economy initiative takes a two-pronged approach to laying the foundation of an innovation ecosystem that will create a new, long-term, high-paying economic industry cluster. The approach: 1) Builds resilience entrepreneurship through RISE’s proven business plan competition and accelerator services, including a product performance validation in Region 6’s network of real-world R&D test sites (i.e. Resilience Innovation Center) as an expansion of the Hampton Roads resilience living laboratory; and 2) Forms a multi-stakeholder, business-focused Region 5-6 Consortium to engage the broader business community in education about the risks and economic impacts of sea level rise, and builds capacity for the adoption of resilient practices. Aligning with both Region’s Growth & Diversification Plans, this initiative builds critical pathways and avenues for collaboration between the two regions and rural and urban economies. Further, as this sector grows, all other sectors are buoyed by the increased regional resilience to flooding, storms, and other stressors impacting coastal Virginia. The project team includes Virginia Sea Grant (VASG, 7- university coalition, Region 6, Lead); RISE (non-profit, Region 5); Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority (PAA, local government, Region 6); and Old Dominion University (ODU, Region 5), GO Virginia funds will be used to support contract for services with selected RISE competition winners, stipends for graduate students, development of the consortium, and planning and assessment of the public access sites for demonstration projects.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities/Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Aquaculture / Seafood / Commercial Fishing / Marine Industries
  • GO Virginia Request: $2,937,163
  • Match: $3,696,411
  • Source of Match: MPCBPAA, VT, ODU, VASG, Localities
  • Project Type: Statewide Competitive
  • Localities: Region 5 and Region 6
  • How does this project create higher-paying jobs? This project creates higher-paying jobs by exploring new ways to combat sea-level rise and create an industry around this business.

The pre-accelerator program supports idea stage entrepreneurs with validating a market, establishing foundational business principles, and incorporating emerging technologies. The pre-accelerator includes bi-weekly in-person group workshops at the Stafford Smart Community Testbed with an option for virtual participation for those who prefer to join online. Content includes technology baselining, value proposition development, business fundamentals, and customer discovery and pipelining. Each idea-stage entrepreneur also receives bi-weekly 1-on-1 coaching, personalized to their specific needs. Participants exit the program with a clear understanding of next steps for establishing a business around a validated market opportunity. The expectation is that 60+% of pre-accelerator participants to become competitive RAP applicants at the completion of the pre-accelerator.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Information/Data Centers, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $96,807.00
  • Match: $80,791.00
  • Source of Match: RIoT, Stafford EDA
  • Project Type: Implementation
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, King George County, Stafford County
  • How does this project create higher-paying jobs? This project creates higher paying jobs by supporting new businesses who will then hire new employees. Our target is an average salary of $75k per job created. Most of the jobs created will be technology and software positions, which regularly command salaries in excess of $100,000.

King George Young Entrepreneurs Project is aimed to encourage and support the development of prospective young entrepreneurs in the county and in one or two other Northern Neck communities. The project would begin by documenting existing resources available to new startups and young entrepreneurs.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster:  Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $98,000
  • Match: $90,272
  • Source of Match: King George County Economic Development & Tourism, King George County EDA, King George County Schools, Gloucester County Schools, and Gloucester County Department of Economic Development.
  • Project Type: ECB
  • Localities: King George County and Gloucester County

Site and Infrastructure Development

This project initiates a study for the site characterization and building development of a 20,000 square foot flexible office building in the Town of Montross. GO Virginia funds will be utilized for due diligence activities including a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment, Threatened and Endangered Species Review, Archaeological and Architectural Review, geographic and topographic surveys, and schematic site and building designs.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Regional Site Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $50,000
  • Match: $50,000
  • Source of Match: Westmoreland County and the Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Region Partnership
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: Westmoreland County and the Town of Montross
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing a potential space for relocation for businesses that met the targeted priority industry sectors.

This project assists with the design and implementation of a sustainable business model for high‐speed broadband delivery to underserved areas of Region 6. GO Virginia funds will be utilized for the development of a business plan and the creation of a new legal enterprise owned by the Pamunkey Tribe, which will serve as a conduit to currently untapped federal resources for broadband development. State broadband resources previously deployed in the region resulted in broadband infrastructure plans, but a business plan is still vital to the region’s ability to seek any available resources for broadband implementation.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Broadband
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Information/Data Centers; Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $50,000
  • Match: $83,000
  • Source of Match: Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, Middle Peninsula Alliance, Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, Essex County, Gloucester County and EDA, King & Queen County, King William County and EDA, Mathews County, Caroline County, the City of Fredericksburg, King George County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Lancaster County, Richmond County, and the Towns of Tappahannock and West Point.
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: Essex County, Gloucester County and EDA, King & Queen County, King William County and EDA, Mathews County, Caroline County, the City of Fredericksburg, King George County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Lancaster County, Richmond County, and the Towns of Tappahannock and West Point.
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing a high performance backbone between towers and local access points to businesses, residents, and institutions that can ultimately utilize affordable and reliable high-speed capacity for the retention, formation, and attraction of higher-paying jobs.

This project will complete a site, building, and infrastructure study of the Northern Neck region. GO Virginia funding will be used to 1) review all inventory of sites and building in the region; 2) create a feasibility study for three potential commercial/industrial sites located in three counties; 3) complete an infrastructure capacity evaluation to address potential business growth in two localities.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Site Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $88,000
  • Match: $0
  • Source of Match: No match required
  • Localities: Northumberland County, Richmond County, Westmoreland County, Lancaster County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing a path to procuring the right facilities, appropriately sized, and located to achieve the higher-wage job growth in the priority industries.

This project will complete a site characterization study of up to 16 sites in the Middle Peninsula region. GO Virginia funding will be used to study of up to 16 sites in the Middle Peninsula; recommend sites for further evaluation of development as a regionally-owned property; provide recommendations on market potential for properties in the ownership of the Middle Peninsula Public Access Authority; and make recommendations on steps to take to create a nutrient bank.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Site Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $85,000
  • Match: $5,200
  • Source of Match: Middle Peninsula Alliance
  • Localities: Essex County, Gloucester County, King & Queen County, King William County, Middlesex County, and Mathews County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing a path to procuring the right facilities, appropriately sized, and located to achieve the higher-wage job growth in the priority industries.

This project will form a Regional Industrial Facilities Authority (RIFA) in accordance with the Virginia Regional Industrial Facilities Act (Va. Code Section 15.2-6400-6416) for the City of Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, and Spotsylvania County.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Site Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $14,665
  • Match: $7,335
  • Source of Match: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, Spotsylvania County, Fredericksburg Regional Alliance
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, and Spotsylvania County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by setting up the framework for all the localities to create a RIFA that will enable shared revenue capabilities in site development projects.

Workforce Development

This project creates a new welding training program at Rappahannock Community College. GO Virginia funds will be used to equip a welding training facility with 15 workstations and train 40 welders for employment at local businesses within Region 6.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $130,000
  • Match: $130,000
  • Source of Match: Westmoreland County, Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board, Carry-On Trailer Corporation, Northern Neck Chesapeake Bay Region Partnership, Northumberland County, and Rappahannock Community College
  • Project Type: Implementation
  • Localities: Westmoreland County and Northumberland County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing welding training classes projected to pay at $22hr for those who complete the program.

This project establishes a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification program at UMW and equip 70 of the region’s citizens with this certification to pursue employment at local businesses within the region. GO Virginia funds will be used to pay for course programming and instructor costs.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $110,000
  • Match: $110,000
  • Source of Match: City of Fredericksburg, King George County, Stafford County, University of Mary Washington, Germanna Community College, and Rappahannock Community College
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, King George County, and Stafford County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing training towards a CISSP certification that provide jobs at above the regional average.

This project will examine current and future workforce needs and the requirements for undertaking appropriate training to meet the available jobs of today and in the future. GO Virginia funding will be used for an assessment that will include a blueprint of what is needed by local companies and other workforce needs, prioritization for implementation, cost estimates, and the necessary steps to improve the quality and quantity of workforce training in the region.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $62,500
  • Match: $62,500
  • Source of Match:S. Department of Labor
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: Richmond County, Westmoreland County, Lancaster County, Northumberland County, Essex County, Gloucester County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by understanding what training needs are necessary to create higher paying jobs in this sub-region.

This study will focus on identifying detailed 4-digit NAICS level industries within the broader 2-digit industries already identified in the Growth and Diversification Plan such as Manufacturing, Distribution and Logistics, IT and Data Centers, and Professional Services. It is at this 4-digit level that the Fredericksburg Region Industry Cluster Analysis would provide the most benefit to our region and individual localities.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $30,000
  • Match: $15,000
  • Source of Match: Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, Vakos, Transurban, Germanna Community College
  • Project Type: Enhanced Capacity Building
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, and Spotsylvania County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by providing understanding of the current industries within the Fredericksburg region to attract new companies to the region and expand current companies.

This project will complete planning activities towards documenting a 1) better focus all the region’s economic development efforts, 2) draw together a variety of elements and organizations to have a larger and more sustained impact, 3) increase the use of available Go Virginia funds for successful and innovative projects, and 4) prepare the community for an even more positive future.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $50,000
  • Match: $9,900
  • Source of Match: George Washington Regional Commission
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline County, King George County, Stafford County, Spotsylvania County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by understanding the current landscape of jobs within the region and creating a plan to grow jobs within the Fredericksburg area.

This project will utilize GO Virginia funds to develop two new curriculums to train a workforce in information technology (IT), engineering, computer science and cyber related professions; host two summer camps for middle/high school students; and develop a web portal to engage students in jobs that meet their credentials. GO Virginia funds will be used to 1) purchase and install specialized lab equipment in 4 existing GCC classrooms, 2) train and certify 20 middle and high school instructors, 3) Cover roughly half the costs of the outreach activities in area middle and high schools, and 4) create and implement the web portal and communication/promotion campaign.

  • Statewide Project Theme:  Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Manufacturing, Logistics/Distribution, Information/Data Centers, and Professional/Scientific/Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $634,938
  • Match: $398,000
  • Source of Match: Germanna Community College
  • Project Type:  Implementation
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania
  • How does it create high paying jobs? This project creates higher paying jobs by providing training to over 200 students in the IT and computer science related industries.

The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, the five school divisions in PDC 16,
Germanna Community College, University of Mary Washington and Rappahannock Goodwill’s Career Works program will host an internship expo. This expo will connect students with internships in a variety of industries. 40-60 companies will be represented at the expo with opportunities to connect with our local students and even schedule interviews. The goal for this internship expo is 75 students being interviewed for internship positions. Accompanying the internship expo will be a series of 5 hiring workshops, including workshops on how businesses can build a successful internship program. This
internship expo and the hiring workshops comprise the Chamber’s workforce solutions pilot program.

  • Statewide Project Theme:  Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Forestry/Wood products/Paper, Manufacturing, Distribution/Logistics, Information/Data Centers, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.
  • GO Virginia Request: $36,000
  • Match: $37,524
  • Source of Match: Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce ($29,254), private businesses ($8,000)
  • Project Type:  ECB
  • Localities: City of Fredericksburg, Caroline, King George, Stafford, Spotsylvania
  • How does it create high paying jobs? This project creates higher paying jobs by enhancing job shadowing programs with employers, establishing a regional career exhibition to connect students with summer job opportunities and developing work-based learning opportunities that incorporate soft skills training to keep employees that will lead to better alignment of Region 6 talent with current and prospective job opportunities and the ability for the Region to attract and retain talent.

While jobs in the Aquaculture/Seafood/Commercial Fishing/Marine Industries have been declining over the past five years, the region has a high concentration of employment in this industry. This industry is prime for growth in Region 6, especially in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. This project will promote jobs in the aquaculture industry cluster by expanding high school students’ understanding of what jobs are available in the aquaculture industry cluster, expanding educational opportunities that meet employers’ needs, and supporting internship opportunities that help young people gain experience and awareness.

  • Statewide Project Theme:  Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Aquaculture/Seafood/Commercial Fishing/Marine Industries
  • GO Virginia Request: $100,000
  • Match: $50,000
  • Source of Match: RCCEFI ($11,000), VT Center for Economic and Community Engagement ($7,000), Private
  • Project Type:  ECB
  • Localities: Essex, Gloucester, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, Richmond, Westmoreland
  • How does it create high paying jobs? This project creates higher paying jobs by creating positive career and growth opportunities for students and the business cluster.

The purpose of this project, co-designed by nationally-renowned K-12 STEM curriculum and training provider, JASON Learning (JASON), and Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) is to ensure middle schoolers in Region 6 are receiving career preparation and exploration and gaining workplace skills that employers desire in their future employees.

  • Statewide Project Theme:  Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Aquaculture/Seafood/Commercial Fishing/Marine Industries, Forestry/Wood Products/Paper, Manufacturing, Distribution/Logistics, Information/Data Centers, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services.
  • GO Virginia Request: $100,000
  • Match: $50,000
  • Source of Match: Stafford County Public Schools ($15,000) & JASON Learning ($35,000)
  • Project Type:  ECB
  • Localities: Caroline County, Essex County, City of Fredericksburg, King & Queen County, Mathews County, Stafford County, and Westmoreland County

Economic Resiliency and Recovery Projects

ERR Fast Access Grants

This project requests funding to customize the FishLine application for the Chesapeake Bay, host the application, complete website development for online purchasing, marketing the new app, and general project administration.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Entrepreneurial Activities/Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Aquaculture / Seafood / Commercial Fishing / Marine Industries
  • GO Virginia Request: $77,000
  • Match: $38,500
  • Source of Match: MPCBPAA, MPPDC, Private Sources
  • Project Type: ERR Fast Access
  • Localities: Essex County, Gloucester County, King and Queen County, Middlesex County, Mathews County, King William County, Town of Tappahannock, Town of Urbanna, and Town of West Point.
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs? This project creates higher paying jobs keeping a key market open during an economic time in which primary markets are closed.

This project requested GO Virginia ERR Fast Access funds to complete a study to understand the ability to host a telehealth center in the future King and Queen TeleWork Incubation center.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development/Entrepreneurial Activities
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
  • GO Virginia Request: $50,000
  • Match: $25,000
  • Source of Match: King and Queen County
  • Localities: King and Queen County, Town of West Point
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by allowing employers to have a facility close to work for employees to receiving medical testing.

This project requested GO Virginia ERR Fast Access funds to fund the rent and utilities of the program for 1 additional year due to the impact COVID-19 had on the training program.

  • Statewide Project Theme: Workforce Development
  • Region 6 Priority Industry Cluster: Manufacturing
  • GO Virginia Request: $36,000
  • Match: $18,000
  • Source of Match: Westmoreland County
  • Localities: Westmoreland County, Northumberland County
  • How does this project create higher paying jobs?This project creates higher paying jobs by training 30 welders and 10 machinists over a one year period.