Central Virginia Partnership

Central Virginia Partnership
Name	Central Virginia Partnership
Type	Nonprofit regional economic development organization
Founded	2005
Headquarters	Lynchburg, Virginia
Region served	Central Virginia
Leader title	President & CEO
Leader name	(see Governance and Organization)
Website	(organization website)

Central Virginia Partnership is a nonprofit regional economic development organization that serves the Central Virginia region, coordinating strategic initiatives to attract investment, support business growth, and enhance workforce development. The organization convenes localities, educational institutions, and private-sector partners to implement targeted programs addressing site readiness, talent pipelines, and marketing campaigns. Its activities intersect with transportation, higher education, manufacturing, and technology sectors across a multi-county area.

Overview

The Partnership functions as a regional convener linking municipal leaders from Lynchburg, Virginia, Amherst County, Virginia, Bedford County, Virginia, Campbell County, Virginia, and other Central Virginia localities with private firms such as Aerojet Rocketdyne, Domtar, and WestRock. It collaborates with higher education institutions including University of Lynchburg, Liberty University, Virginia Tech, Sweet Briar College, and Central Virginia Community College to align workforce training initiatives. The Partnership engages economic development organizations such as Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Regional Industrial Facilities Authority, and local chambers of commerce like the Central Virginia Chamber of Commerce to coordinate site selection, incentive packaging, and marketing. It promotes regional assets tied to transportation corridors including U.S. Route 29, Interstate 64, Norfolk Southern Railway, and Lynchburg Regional Airport.

History

The organization was formed amid regional efforts following consultations with entities such as the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and U.S. Economic Development Administration to create a unified voice for Central Virginia. Early collaboration involved local authorities influenced by studies from McKesson Corporation-commissioned consultants and academic reports produced by University of Virginia research centers. Key historical milestones include a strategic plan developed with input from leaders of City of Lynchburg, Town of Bedford, Virginia, and county boards, subsequent rebranding initiatives inspired by statewide models like GO Virginia, and participation in regional site certification programs run alongside Virginia Growth Alliance partners. The Partnership responded to economic shocks such as plant closures linked to companies like Altria Group and sector shifts exemplified by trends documented by Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over time it expanded initiatives to address technology commercialization, working with innovation actors like Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation.

Governance and Organization

Governance features a board composed of elected officials, business executives, and educational leaders from jurisdictions across the region. Board members have included representatives from institutions such as Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance and corporations comparable to DuPont-scale employers, while advisory committees have drawn expertise from Chamber of Commerce of the United States-affiliated groups and workforce system partners like Virginia Workforce Council. The executive team coordinates program staff who liaise with municipal economic development directors, county administrators, and leaders from higher education institutions including Hampden–Sydney College and Randolph College. Funding streams include membership dues from private firms, grants from foundations such as The Community Foundation Serving Central Virginia, and cooperative agreements with state agencies like Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity.

Economic Development Programs

Programs target site readiness, business retention, and talent attraction. Site development efforts use tools modeled on practices promoted by Site Selectors Guild and leverage site certification frameworks similar to those administered by Certified Sites Corporation. Business retention and expansion work includes employer outreach protocols inspired by International Economic Development Council best practices, engaging major employers like Continental Tire-scale manufacturers and logistics firms aligned with FedEx and Amazon. Workforce initiatives are coordinated with workforce boards and training partners such as Virginia Community College System, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, and career programs at Central Virginia Technical Center. Marketing and lead generation campaigns utilize trade show participation at events akin to SelectUSA Investment Summit and regional branding strategies connected to tourism groups like Visit Virginia's Blue Ridge to attract advanced manufacturing, aerospace, and information technology projects.

Regional Initiatives and Partnerships

The Partnership convenes cross-jurisdictional efforts including corridor development along U.S. Route 29 and brownfield redevelopment projects in cooperation with Environmental Protection Agency grant programs. It works with regional transportation entities such as Greater Lynchburg Transit Company and planning districts like the Central Virginia Planning District Commission to integrate land use and infrastructure investments. Collaboration extends to innovation ecosystems with partners including Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation, and entrepreneurship support organizations like Small Business Development Center networks. Strategic alliances with statewide organizations—GO Virginia, Virginia Economic Development Partnership—and regional nonprofits such as Appalachian Regional Commission foster grant partnerships and workforce pipelines.

Impact and Metrics

The Partnership tracks metrics including job commitments, investment dollar amounts, and certified site inventories, reporting outcomes comparable to regional scorecards maintained by entities like Economic Development Research Partners and Brookings Institution metropolitan analyses. Measurable impacts include secured projects generating jobs in manufacturing, logistics, and professional services, leveraged investments in site infrastructure, and expanded training capacity at institutions such as Central Virginia Community College. Performance indicators also assess reductions in vacancy rates at industrial parks, increases in inbound capital reported in county comprehensive annual financial reports, and improvements in regional labor force participation rates documented by Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics. Periodic evaluations employ data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates and state economic dashboards to inform strategic adjustments.

Category:Organizations based in Virginia