GO Virginia Reaches Implementation Milestone

RICHMOND – GO Virginia (www.govirginia.org), the initiative to create more higher-paying jobs in Virginia through business-led regional collaboration, continues to show significant progress as the Board today approved regional council budgets submitted by the nine GO Virginia regions. Regions are now eligible to be awarded planning grants:

Implementation of GO Virginia continues to move forward as regions will now have authorization to spend funds on their Economic Growth and Diversification plans. This is yet another important milestone in the implementation process of GO Virginia. These planning grants will allow the regions to hire economists and other consultants to help develop the in-depth economic analysis that will inform each region’s growth and diversification plan, and will ultimately help to identify priority projects to support a strengthened and diversified economy in each region. Each region is also expected to have a significant public outreach and engagement effort to ensure broad participation in the development of the plan and to develop ideas for transformational projects.

Growth and Opportunity Board Chairman John O. “Dubby” Wynne said, “As we continue GO Virginia”s work to create more higher-paying jobs in Virginia, approval of the regional budgets marks another important milestone in the implementation process. We are now at a pivotal point with regions beginning to work through their individual Growth and Diversification plans where they will each identify areas of opportunity and establish priorities for future projects. We look forward to compelling ideas shared by the regional councils as collaboration leads to creative solutions to the economic challenges and opportunities in each region.”

About the GO Virginia coalition: The GO Virginia Coalition provides support for the GO Virginia Board’s efforts to create more higher paying jobs through incentivized collaboration and out of state investment that diversifies and strengthens the economy in every region of the Commonwealth. The coalition is comprised of business and community leaders, partners in education and government, and interested Virginians from across the Commonwealth who support regional cooperation to enhance economic and workforce development. Bipartisan and business-led, the coalition supports state incentives to encourage collaboration among business, education, and government in each region, providing a framework for implementation of the private sector-focused growth strategies. Learn more and join the coalition at www.govirginia.org.”