Charlottesville, Virginia (March 14, 2024) — Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) awarded its 2024 Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA) to six communities in the Commonwealth for initiatives that advance economic viability through economic and community development programs.
The CEDA program recognizes best practices and exceptional contributions for the following efforts: business retention and expansion, business recruitment, community development and community involvement.
The winning recipients received their awards at VEDA’s 2024 Spring Conference at the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville.
CEDA recipients are the Town of St. Paul, Wythe County, City of Waynesboro, City of Harrisonburg, Henrico County, and Arlington County (honorable mention)
Entries into the annual awards program are judged on innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and overall benefits derived from each.
VEDA will submit the winning entries to the Southern Economic Development Council (SEDC) for consideration under its award program that takes place later this year.
“We selected winners in every demographic category that reflect the collective strength we share in Virginia,” said Rebekah Castle, Director of Economic Development & Marketing in Augusta County and Chair of the CEDA committee. “The award-winning projects raise the bar for collaboration and vision in economic development, and I congratulate all the recipients.”
Learn more about the winning projects below:
Grow Waynesboro Main & Wayne
Grow Waynesboro Main & Wayne is a free business training program designed to provide a base of business fundamentals to individuals looking to start or expand a business in Waynesboro. Following the completion of an eight-week business planning course, selected individuals competed in a live Pitch Night for up to $25,000. Pitch Night in downtown Waynesboro was held in front of a standing-room only crowd. Judges awarded four local businesses, helping them create jobs and continue to build a culture of entrepreneurship in Waynesboro. A total of $53,000 was awarded to four businesses.
Harrisonburg Downtown 2040
Harrisonburg Economic Development, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance and a volunteer steering committee of 30 created a master plan with input from multiple public and private organizations in Harrisonburg. Harrisonburg’s level of effort to reach every demographic in their community, through various mediums of engagement, offered opportunity for residents to provide feedback in the way they were most comfortable. The plan helped the city and downtown organization improve and leverage its local universities. Despite unfolding amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Downtown 2040 connected more than 500 people and received over 460 ideas.
Learn more about the other winning projects here