GO Virginia is a bipartisan, business-led economic development initiative that is changing the way Virginia’s diverse regions collaborate on economic and workforce development activities.

What Is GO Virginia’s Purpose?

GO Virginia supports programs to create more high-paying jobs through incentivized collaboration between business, education, and government to diversify and strengthen the economy in every region of the Commonwealth.

The initiative is based on three main points:

Virginia urgently needs strong private-sector growth.
Federal cutbacks have exposed our over-dependence on public-sector jobs. Virginia needs strong private-sector growth and job creation.

Growth in Virginia’s diverse regions requires collaboration.
To grow and diversify our economy, business, education, and government must collaborate effectively in each region.

State government must be a catalyst and partner.
State government must provide incentives for strategic, job-focused collaboration in each region
of the Commonwealth.

How Does GO Virginia Work?

The Growth & Opportunity Board, responsible for awarding allotted funds to relevant projects, oversees Regional Councils, who submit project ideas to the Board for approval. The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development supports the administrative aspects of both these entities, and the GO Virginia Foundation supports these efforts through education about best practices and advocacy.

Our History

July 2015

GO Virginia Coalition is launched by Virginia’s senior business leadership with broad bipartisan support

April 2016

GO Virginia legislation and budget package passes

August 2016

Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board (“GO Board”) members appointed

December 2016

GO Board sets the nine GO Virginia regional boundaries

March 2017

GO Virginia Regional Councils’ membership are certified

April 2017

GO Board holds “Orientation Conference” for regional council members and other interested stakeholders

September 2017

GO Board approves each region’s “Growth and Diversification Plan”

October 2017

GO Board approves the Collaborative Economic Development Act guidelines

December 2017

GO Board approves its first round of project grants

February 2018

GO Board approves nine grants in six regions

GO Board approves policy to establish new application process for enhanced capacity-building projects requesting less than $100,000

April 2018

GO Board approves five grants to three regions

DHCD procured TEConomy Partners to study the startup ecosystems in each region

June 2018

GO Board approves three grants in three regions

August 2018

GO Board approves two grants in two regions

October 2018

GO Board approves the first GO Virginia competitive application

December 2018

GO Board approves three grants in two regions

March 2019

GO Board approves seven grants in seven regions

GO Board adopts white paper on the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem assessment process