Town of Altavista Awarded $146,000 Tobacco Commission Grant for Business Development
ALTAVISTA, VA - The Town of Altavista has been awarded a $146,000 grant from the Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, announced during the Commission’s recent meeting at the Virginia International Raceway held on Wednesday, September 24. These funds will support two programs at the Spark Innovation Center – Fire Up Altavista and Create Small.
A total of $106,000 from the TRRC award will be dedicated to funding three years of Fire Up Altavista, a Community Business Launch program directed by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), which is designed to provide essential business training, mentorship, and financial support to local entrepreneurs. This initiative will assist aspiring business owners in launching and growing small businesses in both Altavista and Campbell County.
The additional $40,000 from the TRRC funding will enhance the Create Small program, a creative entrepreneurship initiative that empowers makers and product-based business owners. This program will leverage Spark’s makerspace to help individuals transform their creative skills into sustainable businesses.
The TRRC grant will be matched by partner financial commitments, including a $50,000 grant awarded to Altavista On Track by DHCD for the CBL program. Additionally, matching funds will be committed by Campbell County through its Start Small Campbell program by utilizing the training program as a qualifier to receive cash grants. Training for participants will be conducted by the Small Business Development Center - Lynchburg Region.
"We are very excited to receive this grant funding, which will greatly benefit our community,” stated Reggie Bennett, Mayor of Altavista. "These funds are to establish new businesses and help existing ones to expand. The Town has numerous development projects underway, and these grants are coming at an ideal time.”
The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999, aims to promote economic growth and development in tobacco dependent communities using proceeds from the national tobacco settlement. More information about the TRRC and its funding initiatives can be found at www.revitalizeva.org.
For more information about the programs and opportunities available at the Spark Innovation Center, please contact Autumn Evans, Business and Community Engagement Coordinator at aevans@altavistava.gov.
Contact Information
Town of Altavista
Jamie Gillespie, Director of Planning and Community Development jwgillespie@altavistava.gov Phone: (434) 369-5001 ext. 103
Spark Innovation Center
Autumn Evans, Business and Community Engagement Coordinator aevans@altavistava.gov Phone: (434) 608-0401
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