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Virginia secures $1.5M in grant funding for economic development projects

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced today that he is recommending four projects for funding by the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC), totaling $1.5 million in grants.

SCRC will finalize approval of the project awards later this year.

“The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission supports job creation, affordable housing, increasing infrastructure and improving the lives of the over 51 million residents of the region,” Youngkin said. “These funds will support locally driven projects that will spur economic development and help foster strong, vibrant communities.”

The SCRC is a federal-state partnership authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill to promote and encourage economic development in areas of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and all of Florida. SCRC invests in projects that support basic infrastructure, business development and natural resources, as well as workforce and labor development. SCRC’s mission is to help create jobs, build communities and improve the lives of individuals who reside in the 428 counties of the seven-state region.

“By funding these, we are able to support economic growth and improve the quality of life for those who call this region home,” Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick said. “We are taking proactive steps to foster the economic growth of the region, address its unique challenges and commit to its ongoing prosperity.”

“SCRC grants are an important resource for the ongoing support efforts for the Southeast Crescent region of Virginia,” said Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development Director Bryan Horn. “The program’s flexibility allows us to offer targeted assistance in community-identified areas, filling in funding gaps and offering holistic support.”

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca Barnabi

Rebecca J. Barnabi is the national editor of Augusta Free Press. A graduate of the University of Mary Washington, she began her journalism career at The Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. In 2013, she was awarded first place for feature writing in the Maryland, Delaware, District of Columbia Awards Program, and was honored by the Virginia School Boards Association’s 2019 Media Honor Roll Program for her coverage of Waynesboro Schools. Her background in newspapers includes writing about features, local government, education and the arts.