About GO Virginia
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:
Federal cutbacks have exposed our over-dependence on public-sector jobs. Virginia needs strong private-sector growth and job creation.
To grow and diversify our economy, business, education, and government must collaborate effectively in each region.
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
