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Harrisonburg businesses eligible for bootcamp, $2,500 grant through new initiative

Crystal Graham
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New or early-stage business owners in Harrisonburg may be eligible to take part in a business bootcamp offered through the city.

Thirty businesses will be chosen for the new Harrisonburg Entrepreneurship Development Initiative.

The HEDI program begins with participants meeting one-on-one with a business coach to discuss their business and to identify an area in which they’d like to enhance their skills. These areas may include subject matters such as marketing, sales, bookkeeping, etc.

Participants will then engage with a dedicated subject matter expert, set meaningful goals and track their growth.

“Our new entrepreneurship initiative will help unlock the potential of our local business owners and ensure Harrisonburg remains a vibrant and dynamic place for businesses to grow and succeed,” said Pierce Macgill, Harrisonburg deputy director of economic development.

Once participants complete their training, they are eligible for a one-time grant of $2,500.

Applications for the bootcamp are due Jan. 31.

Visit www.harrisonburgdevelopment/hedi to learn more and apply.

Harrisonburg Entrepreneurship Development Initiative requirements


  1. Must be a for-profit business entity with a place of business located in the City of Harrisonburg. Home-based businesses are eligible.
  2. Must have a city business license
  3. Must have at least $5,000, but no more than $100,000, in annual gross revenues
  4. Must be able to provide proof of revenue through a 2023 federal tax return or 2024 income statements
  5. The business is locally owned, or locally operated with headquarters in Virginia
  6. All taxes and fees to the City of Harrisonburg are current

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.