Governor Youngkin announces over $1.2 million in Growth and Opportunity Virginia Grants to support workforce and entrepreneurial development

RICHMOND, VA — On September 20, 2022, Governor Glenn Youngkin announced more than $1.2 million in Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) grant awards for four projects focused on innovative workforce development initiatives designed to expand talent pipelines in technology sectors, as well as foster entrepreneurial startups, business development, and venture investment.

“GO Virginia allows us to invest in key projects that will enhance our economic growth by fostering workforce development and stimulating new business opportunities,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “These projects exemplify the innovative partnerships that GO Virginia grants were designed to promote, driving regional advancement and strengthening our Commonwealth.”

“These GO Virginia projects will increase workforce capacity while expanding economic growth through job creation and entrepreneurial startups,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “Our regional partners have made great use of GO Virginia’s collaborative approach, and those partnerships will create prosperous avenues of innovative investment and strengthen both communities and economies across Virginia.”

“These projects will support and grow industry sectors that are vital to Virginia’s economic future,” said GO Virginia Board Chairman Nancy Agee. “These high-impact projects, endorsed by their respective regional councils, are designed to deliver results today and into the future.”

GO Virginia supports projects that focus on workforce development, cluster scaleup, startup ecosystems, and site and infrastructure development to encourage regional economic growth and diversification. In addition to the awarded GO Virginia funding, the four awarded projects leveraged an additional $745,000 in local and non-state funding.

Since the program’s inception in 2017, GO Virginia has funded 233 projects and awarded approximately $93.7 million to support regional economic development efforts. To learn more about the GO Virginia program, visit dhcd.virginia.gov/gova.

Click here to view the full 2022 per capita awards.