A broad range of incentives and financing options are available for new and expanding businesses, including industrial development bond financing, small business loans, and a variety of loan guarantee and indirect financing options.

Emergency Loan Fund

Enterprise Zone

Opportunity Zone

Tourism Development Zone

Technology Zone

Hub Zone

Revolving Loan Fund

Facade Grant

Sidewalk and Landscaping Grant

Historic Tax Credits

Small Business Administration

Small Business Development Center

Virginia Small Business Financing

Recovery Resources

Successful entrepreneurs are the backbone of our local economy. We recognize that operating a business at any stage can be a combination of opportunity and excitement.  From development to maturity, we’re here to help with a variety of resources, including customized counseling, research, and comprehensive resources.

Grow Waynesboro

Grow Waynesboro is our program dedicated to finding and funding entrepreneurs for Waynesboro.  On this website, you will find out how to turn your business dream into reality by tapping into expert training, a vast array of resources, and encouragement from current business owners.

Road Map

As you plan your business, there are many stops, considerations, and decisions along the way, but careful evaluation of each step will pay dividends with a successful business.  We have developed a detailed road map to help you explore opportunities and challenges without hitting any detours or road blocks.  Take a tour on our interactive map, print your own copy, or request a printed version complete with a list of resources.

Research

Business planning is about finding the right opportunities in the marketplace. This page provides competitive intelligence data to help you make smarter business decisions.  Finding out about your business and how it fits in the Waynesboro marketplace is critical to your success.  Discover industry trends, customer profile and location, nearby competition, and financial tools specific to your business or industry.

Partners

The table below provides a number of local, regional, and state resources that are available to assist you with your business.  Not sure where to start? Contact us and we can help guide you.

Questions

A brilliant business idea may begin with an inspiration. We’re here to help you move it forward into reality, with a step-by-step guide to creating a business plan, finding the ideal location, building a marketing strategy, connecting with your customers, identifying local business incentives, and obtaining business licenses and registration.  We’d love to provide in-person assistance to leverage all our resources and partners.  Please let us know how we can help you get started.

Area Resources

Link to Waynesboro GIS : layers include tax parcels, zoning, water, sewer, storm water, flood plain, topo, aerials, school district, and wards.

Location

Economic Development Office

Cities Reached in One Day Truck Distance

Planning

City Land Use

City Zoning

Incentive Zones

Enterprise Zones:

City Overview

Area 1

Area 2

Area-3

Tourism Development Zone:

City Overview

Downtown

East Main

Interstate

Downtown Districts

HUB Zone

City Map with Census Tracts

Workforce

Commuting to Waynesboro

Downtown

Downtown Districts

CDBG Program Area

Working closely with our local real estate community, the City strives to maintain an accurate and up-to-date database of available properties.  In addition to maintaining the database, the City also owns two industrial parks totaling 200 acres and will enable future construction of 1.4 million square feet of new industrial space.

Search for Properties

Thank you for your interest in adding properties to the database.  Properties submitted will appear on both the City of Waynesboro Economic Development website and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership website (www.VEDP.org).  By submitting your available building(s) or site(s) for this free listing you agree to provide accurate information and regular updates.

Please download and submit the appropriate form for the type of available property.

Please note:

• All information requested in red font is required
• Although VEDP has some minimums, all properties will be shown on the City website
• Be sure to include photos, site plans, sell sheets and other back-up materials
• Please contact us for information on sending large files

Download these forms:

• Guidelines & Instructions
• Site Data Input Form
• Office Building Data Input Form
• Flex Building Data Input Form
• Industrial Building Data Input Form
• Retail Building Data Input Form

In addition to the colleges and universities located within two hours of Waynesboro and graduating well over 20,000 students in a variety of disciplines, there are a variety of state and local programs designed to assist employers with specific needs.

Valley Career Hub is a collaborative effort among the business, education, and economic development communities in the Shenandoah Valley to broaden awareness of high-demand, high-growth, high-wage careers in our region and promote local training opportunities for these careers. The website includes videos describing high-growth/high-demand careers, a database of training and educational programs available from Valley colleges, universities and technical schools, and other assistance.

Virginia Jobs Investment Program

• Provides customized recruiting and training services to companies creating new jobs or experiencing technological change
• Consulting services, organizational development, and funding for training and recruitment may be available

Blue Ridge Community College

The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center

• The center is designed to provide hands on experience in a variety of applications and the curriculum provides the classroom experience needed to succeed in today’s manufacturing environment
• Each of the seven labs is equipped with state of the art equipment for manufacturing, design, and electronics; a robotic arm, 3D plastic prototype printer, manufacturing lab simulator, a CNC machine, and a series of manufacturing training modules
• The Robert E. Plecker Workforce Center provides a number of services to employers, entrepreneurs, and career re-training

James Madison University

Has a number of degree and certificate programs in their Outreach and Engagement Department

Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board

• Is continually working to provide qualified workers via a number of programs
• Dream It Do It – focuses on advanced technology in manufacturing, healthcare, construction and information technology
• Enhancing the Green or Clean workforce is the goal of the Shenandoah Valley Energy Partnership

Valley Career & Technical Center

The City of Waynesboro invests annually in tourism-oriented business endeavors, events and projects through their grant program, “Building Opportunities to Support Tourism (BOOST).” City businesses and organizations were invited to apply for up to $2,500 to support eligible activities such as fairs, festivals, and projects intended to entice visitation including associated marketing, design, and printing costs. Funds were limited to new and existing tourism-related endeavors taking place within the City of Waynesboro between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021.  Completed applications for the fiscal year 2020-2021 were accepted until Monday, June 29, 2020.