The Environment Virginia Symposium will be held March 28-30 at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and is hosted by Virginia Environmental Endowment, and the Virginia Departments of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Forestry (DOF), Conservation & Recreation (DCR) and Wildlife Resources (DWR).

This symposium is the Commonwealth’s premier environmental conference which brings together environmental professionals throughout Virginia from all sectors: government, non-profits, academia, and industry. Their joint efforts create better results for our environment for our state and region.

For more information and to register visit: https://vmieva.cventevents.com/event/8fbfb5ec-4950-4cbf-8097-151a02e98e1a/summary

GO Virginia Region 8 will be hosting three project development sessions during April, two in the CSPDC region. The sessions will explore the GO Virginia grant process and upcoming funding opportunities while brainstorming regional needs and potential projects. Registration information will be posted on the GO Virginia Region 8 website soon.

GO Virginia is a statewide business-led economic development initiative with funding to invest in collaborative projects that lead to high-paying jobs. The mission of GO Virginia is to encourage collaboration among business, education, and government. GO Virginia Region 8, one of nine regions in Virginia, includes the CSPDC’s ten cities and counties plus another 6 localities to the north.

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will hold a How-to-Apply workshop for the 2023 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 10:00 to 11:30 am. The virtual webinar will provide information on applying for 2023 CDBG funding, important deadlines, and best practices for developing CDBG projects.  The workshop is free, but you must register by March 17^th.

The goal of the CDBG program is to eliminate blight and to benefit low- and moderate- income families. To that end, CDBG can fund a wide variety of projects including housing rehabilitation, water and sewer, economic development, entrepreneurship, and downtown revitalization. Planning grants are also available to lay the groundwork for successful projects.

To register for the How-to-Apply Workshop, please click here.

More information on the CBDG program can be found here.

Amy Darby

Ms. Darby was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent the City of Staunton. She is a graduate of Mary Baldwin University and has been employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia for over 25 years helping youth and families.

Monica Robinson

Ms. Robinson was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent the City of Harrisonburg. She is a graduate of James Madison University and Walden University and is Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project.

Kim Sandum

Ms. Sandum was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent Rockingham County as their citizen representative. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and is Rockingham County Coordinator and Transportation Lead for the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley.

Ethan Riley was hired as CSPDC’s Finance Director and started work in January. He received his bachelors from Liberty University in accounting. Previously Ethan worked as a State Auditor at the Virginia Auditor of Public Accounts. He currently resides in Fishersville with his wife, son, daughter, and cat. In his free time, Ethan enjoys spending time with family, attending sports events, and going to the beach.

The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service released its official Virginia Population Estimates on January 30, 2023. The estimates provide an accurate approximation of county and independent city populations on July 1, 2022. State and local government agencies use this data for funding allocations, planning, and budgeting purposes.

The CSPDC’s 2022 population estimate is 308,788, roughly 0.5% higher than the 2020 Census estimate, or 1,577 residents. Since the 2020 Census, the cities of Harrisonburg and Waynesboro have experienced the greatest population growth. Estimates indicate that the population of Harrisonburg is roughly 1.6% higher, or 890 residents, while the population of Waynesboro is roughly 1.5% higher, or 341 residents. In contrast, the City of Lexington and Rockbridge County experienced a slight decline in population. Estimates indicate that the population of Lexington is roughly 2.9% lower, or 215 residents, while the population of Rockbridge is roughly 0.7% lower, or 152 residents. All other localities in the CSPDC region experienced slight growth over 2020 Census estimates, between 0.1% and 0.5%, ranging from an increase of 2 to 392 residents.

The Weldon Cooper Center notes that large college and university populations were often undercounted in the 2020 Census. To account for this, the Weldon Cooper Center benchmarked population estimates for localities with at least 20% college population, like the cities of Harrisonburg and Lexington, on their 2020 and 2021 estimates, instead of the 2020 Census estimates. Once the remainder of 2020 Census data is released, the Weldon Cooper Center will further examine the discrepancies in college town populations.

The 2022 Virginia Population Estimates are available of the Weldon Copper Center’s Demographic Research Group website. Yearly demographic and population data is also available on the CSPDC’s Regional Data Center.