The CSPDC assisted our localities to submit over $6.4 million of funding applications in the last month.

Sponsoring Partnerships & Revitalizing Communities (SPARC)

Total: $3,000,000

The CSPDC applied for a new allocation of funds through Virginia Housing’s SPARC Program, which offers reduced-rate funding with a 1% adjustment to interest rates below Virginia Housing’s prevailing home loan rates. Last year, CSPDC secured $1.7 million through SPARC and supported eight clients in the Shenandoah Valley purchase homes. This year, the CSPDC aims to nearly double the number of future first-time homeowners it can support.

Goshen Community Service Facility – Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Total: $1,250,000

The Town of Goshen applied for $1.25 million CDBG Community Improvement Grant to build a multi-purpose community service facility in Goshen. The proposed facility would provide health care, a food pantry, senior services, and many needed community services under one roof.

 Stillwater Revitalization Project – Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF)

Total: $1,000,000

In June, the CSPDC helped prepare an IRF application to transform the former Stillwater Worsted Mills textile plant building in Goshen, Rockbridge County. The project aims to secure $1 million in IRF funds to rejuvenate the structure, converting it into a multi-use facility shared between the Virginia Mechanical Preservation Society and North Fork, a manufacturer of wood-based products. If the application is successful, the revitalized building will house a museum, a preservation workshop, and a forest-to-finish wood manufacturing factory, focusing on the construction of log cabin tiny homes.

Afton Mountain Revitalization – CDBG Planning Grant

Total: $100,000

The CSPDC assisted Augusta County in applying for a $100,000 CDBG Planning Grant to develop a master plan for the Afton Mountain-Rockfish Gap site. If successful, the grant will enable the identification of the optimal mix of amenities and business opportunities for this unique site and would be a key step towards the site’s redevelopment.

Northern Highlands 4-County Communications Network Project – ARC ARISE Planning Grant

Total: $144,600

CSPDC staff supported a two-state, four-county effort, involving Bath (VA), Highland (VA), Pocahontas (WV), and Pendleton (WV) counties, to pursue an ARC ARISE (Appalachian Regional Commission Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies) planning grant. Together the partners crafted a Concept Paper to construct a multi-phase, 21st Century communication infrastructure network which is expected to drive regional economic development and support public safety operations along the VA/WV border. If ARC approves the Concept Paper, the working group will be invited to complete the full ARC ARISE application later this year.

Wilson Workforce Development Center – Community Development Block Grant

Total: $950,000

The CSPDC continues to support the City of Buena Vista’s efforts to apply for grant funding to source the Mountain Gateway Community College’s (MGCC) Wilson Workforce Development Center completion. In June 2024, Buena Vista applied for a $950,000 Community Development Block Grant to source the purchase of equipment needed by MGCC faculty to instruct students on courses for in-demand jobs such as HVAC, building trades, electrical, plumbing, industrial technology, precision machining, welding, diesel mechanics, and CDLs. Buena Vista staff wrote the application on behalf of MGCC, with technical assistance from the CSPDC.

Eight high school students from the Valley Career and Technical Center (VCTC) recently signed formal apprenticeship agreements with local employers. The apprenticeship program allows students in the Augusta County, Staunton, and Waynesboro school divisions an opportunity to gain on-the-job training and technical instruction while preparing for a career. The partnership between students and their employers will serve to lessen the deficit of skilled tradespeople by empowering students to begin their journey toward careers in electricity and mechanics.

GO Virginia funding is helping to address skill and employment gaps in the manufacturing and transportation sectors in the region. Funds are being used at VCTC to make significant updates to replace outdated training equipment and to support the addition of new programs specifically aviation technology, industrial maintenance, and heavy equipment.  CSPDC staff is providing grant administration for the GO Virginia Region 8 project.

The CSPDC is partnering with Augusta Health, the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth, the Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge, Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, and Waynesboro Parks and Recreation to sponsor a screening of The Street Project, a film about creating safer streets for all road users – walkers, bike riders, and drivers. This event will be held at the Wayne Theater on June 20 at 7 pm. This pay-what-you-will event will include brief opening remarks, the film, and an opportunity for question and answer/discussion with local panelists following the film.

More About the Film

The Street Project is a 52-minute documentary that covers three main topics through an uplifting narrative: 1) the current crisis in bicyclist and pedestrian traffic accidents and fatalities, 2) the historical developments that led us to this crisis, 3) infrastructure, planning, and design strategies to improve road safety for all users, improve transportation equity, and build strong communities.

In 2010, the small community of specialists who pay attention to US road safety statistics picked up on a troubling trend: more and more pedestrians and bicyclists riders were being killed on America’s roads. In fact, pedestrian deaths have increased steadily since reaching their low point in 2009. 2022 (the latest year for which data are available) was the deadliest year for pedestrians in the US since 1981. The Street Project includes interviews with a diverse array of experts, including street historian Peter Norton, city planner Jeff Speck, and urban design expert Mikael Colville-Andersen. These expert interviews are interwoven with the stories of people working to make their communities safer. For more information about the film and/or to watch the trailer, click https://www.thestreetproject.com/about/

The Wayne Theater is located at 521 West Main Street in Waynesboro, VA. Doors will open at 6 pm.

If you plan to attend, please register at this link https://forms.gle/Fi2Q6WdVMnEE6nGF9.

We hope to see you there!

On May 17, 2024, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) announced the opening of the application cycle for the FY 2024 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP). VDEM serves as the State Administrative Agency for this program that is sourced from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Grant Programs Directorate. Applications for the Commonwealth of Virginia grant program are due to VDEM by July 19, 2024. Submitted proposals will be evaluated and awarded in accordance with the FY 2024 Homeland Security Grant Program Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/homeland-security/fy-24-nofo.
The projected period of performance is September 1, 2024 to June 30, 2026.

The aim of the FY 2024 SHSP is to promote state and local efforts to prevent terrorism and to prepare Virginia for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to its security. As in previous years, VDEM will allocate funds for local competitive and non-competitive grants. Awarded funding is targeted to support special operation teams for Hazardous Materials, Search and Rescue, Incident Management Teams, and Radio Caches. The SHSP may also fund a range of activities including planning, organization, equipment purchase, training, exercises, and management and administration.

Eighty percent (80%) of SHSP funds must be passed through to local units of government. At least thirty-five percent (35%) of the overall SHSP funds received by Virginia must be dedicated towards law enforcement terrorism prevention activities. Thirty percent (30%) of SHSP funds must be used for national priorities as described in the NOFO (see hyperlink above).

Visit this VDEM webpage for more information on the 2024 SHSP: https://www.vaemergency.gov/grant-opportunities/fy-2024-state-homeland-security-program-shsp

After great anticipation, construction work officially began on the Lewis Street Transit Hub on April 15. Construction crews from Virginia Infrastructure demolished the existing asphalt and have begun preparing the foundation for the new and improved transit hub. You may have seen activity on the lot as you passed by on Lewis Street. We are amazed each week at how much progress has been made since our last site visit! At the end of May, the contractors completed all excavating and grading work to level the site and have laid the base layer materials that will help mitigate water runoff ensuring the longevity of the pavement.

The most notable change to the lot recently is the installation of the stone retaining wall. This wall will not only serve retaining purposes for the slope of the lot but will also provide additional seating for passengers as they wait for their bus.

Over the next few weeks, we expect to see more curb and sidewalk being poured. By this time next month, it will really begin to take the shape of the future hub. Work on the site is ongoing and on schedule. The CSPDCs still anticipates a completion date by the end of summer.