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Waynesboro: Downtown, East Main businesses eligible for $5K in outside improvements

Downtown Waynesboro
(Stock photo, October 2020 © Kristina Blokhin – stock.adobe.com)

Property owners and tenants in Downtown Waynesboro or the Rockfish Gateway corridor who want to make improvements to the outside of their business may be able to get some assistance from the city.

The city’s economic development department has launched a grant program designed to give storefronts an update – with a fresh coat of paint, an awning or signage and/or for landscaping.

The building improvement grant program offers financial assistance to property owners, tenants and prospective tenants in qualifying areas of Waynesboro’s downtown and newly rebranded Rockfish Gateway on East Main Street.

Eligible businesses may receive reimbursable grants of:

  • up to $5,000 for façade improvements like painting, awnings and signage
  • up to $4,000 for landscape improvements including hardscaping, paving and new plantings

“Our downtown and Rockfish Gateway corridors play a vital role in Waynesboro’s business landscape,” said Greg Hitchin, director of economic development and tourism. “This program is an investment in local businesses and our commercial areas, supporting ongoing revitalization efforts and helping make Waynesboro an even more welcoming place to live, work and visit.”

The deadline to apply is Sept. 2. All improvement projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2025.

BOOST marketing grants


Waynesboro businesses may also apply for marketing dollars from the city.

Building Opportunities to Support Tourism, or BOOST, grants provide up to $3,000 to support marketing efforts for festivals, events and initiatives that attract visitors from more than 50 miles away.

Final applications are due by Aug. 11.

BOOST grants have helped local organizations amplify their reach with eight recipients receiving full or partial funding totaling $15,000 during the last cycle.

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Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is a reporter and ad manager for 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, both broadcast on PBS. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television. You can reach her at [email protected]