News

CSPDC Recognizes New Commissioner

Ms. Alidia Vane was appointed to the CSPDC Commission to represent the County of Augusta. Ms. Vane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from New York University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, and Master of Public Administration degree from Baruch College. Prior to her position as Planner for Augusta County, she was the Director of the Shenandoah Valley Animal Services Center.

33rd Annual Environment Virginia Symposium – March 28- 30 2023

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

USDA-Rural Development Programs Showcase Scheduled

In partnership with USDA-Rural Development, the CSPDC will be hosting a USDA-RD Programs Showcase presentation on Wednesday, April 19 from 9am-12:30pm at the Virginia Horse Center in Rockbridge County. At the event, USDA-RD will provide an informative overview of their programs, including loans and grants, that help to improve economic prosperity for the families and businesses in the Central Shenandoah Region. USDA-RD will provide presentations and one-on-one networking with specialty experts in the fields of rural business, community facilities, water and environmental programs, single family housing, and telecommunications. Dupont Community Credit Union and the Shenandoah Community Capital Fund will also give brief presentations to share the economic development services they provide to the region. This event is made possible through the support of event sponsors Dupont Community Credit Union and BARC Electric Cooperative.

Local officials, planners, economic development staff, administrators, housing professionals, community service providers, farm market managers, lending professionals, and small/rural business owners are encouraged to attend this free event. Registration is required by April 14th, and can be found here. Light breakfast, coffee and tea, and mid-morning snacks will be provided. Don’t miss this chance to talk to USDA-RD program specialist and learn how these programs can benefit your locality or organization! To view the agenda, click here.

GO Virginia Region 8 Wants to Hear from You

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.

CDBG How to Apply Workshop

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 17th.

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.