Media Center
Marketing Opportunity in the Gateway Region
Virginia’s Gateway Region was one of 15 communities awarded a $10,000 grant as part of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia’s Opportunity Regions (VOR) FY 06 marketing program. The program’s mission is to increase the number of business prospects to communities of Virginia that have certain levels of fiscal stress or unemployment. The VOR Marketing Grant program provides funds for these localities to build marketing capacity.
“VEDP is always looking for ways to assist localities with their recruitment efforts,” said Jeff Anderson, VEDP Executive Director. “The Virginia’s Opportunity Regions marketing program provides distressed communities a unique opportunity to execute marketing initiatives and thus increase their flow of business prospects.”
The awards will support a variety of marketing initiatives, including development of marketing materials, participation in marketing missions, design and purchase of new marketing booths, website development and improvements, direct mail and advertising pieces, market research and the development of marketing programs.
The Gateway Region will use the VOR funds to create marketing materials highlighting the retail and commercial development successes and opportunities in the Tri-Cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg. Each city is providing a portion of matching funds for the grant and will work with VGR to create a marketing piece that will highlight the commercial infrastructure in the area; provide retail and commercial data; market the human capital in the area; provide demographic and quality of life information; and provide up-to-date information on Fort Lee growth and development.
“We are honored to have been selected for an Opportunity Region grant,” Executive Director C. Renee Wyatt said. “The Tri-Cities are on the brink of enormous growth, and we are committed to shepherding them through this unique point in their history with comprehensive data and marketing support.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership, a marketing organization, was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1995 to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Partnership is a state authority, which is governed by a 21-member board of directors appointed by the Governor and the Virginia General Assembly. To accomplish its objectives of promoting economic expansion, the Partnership focuses its efforts on business recruitment, expansion and international trade. VEDP has offices in Virginia, Germany, Hong Kong, Mexico, Brazil, Korea and Japan.
Virginia’s Gateway Region exists to enhance the economic development opportunities for the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell and Petersburg, and the counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry and Sussex. The Gateway Region is a private, nonprofit organization that is publicly and privately funded to facilitate new business opportunities, work with existing businesses, advance resources that will enhance the economic viability of the region and foster regional cooperation among the public and private entities that are involved in economic development activities.