The GO Virginia State Board met on June 12 and approved  Region 8‘s proposal to fund a Cyber Security Workforce and Jobs Program. GO Virginia funding in the amount of $200,000 and matched with $200,000 in local funds will be used to develop a self-paced hands-on cyber security training program at Blue Ridge Community College. The goal of the program is to train and credential 50 Tier I cyber security analysts over a 2-year period. Graduates of the program will be placed in jobs that have an average wage of $54,000.

The Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) and the Virginia Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (VAMPO) will host a joint training conference on Friday, June 8, in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The training conference will bring in state and federal speakers to discuss several planning topics including transportation and bike-ped planning, broadband opportunities, housing programs, and Title VI/Civil Rights training. To view a copy of the agenda and to register for the workshop, please click here .

CSPDC has created an economic asset web app that allows users to discover business and quality of life assets for the 10 localities in the CSPDC region.  Each locality has a tab with a short description and link to their Economic Development pages.  Users can click on locality features in the interactive map to find more information, including demographic data such as population, median age, cost of living, and unemployment rates. Users can also view industrial/business parks and business incentive zones in the CSPDC region.

The CSPDC, along with the Regional All Hazards Mitigation Plan Committee, have launched an online survey of the region’s residents to gauge their perceptions about vulnerability to natural hazards. The survey will also gather input about their willingness to implement preparedness and mitigation measures to protect their families, homes, and businesses.  The responses will be incorporated into the Central Shenandoah Valley Wildfire Protection Plan and the Central Shenandoah Valley All Hazards Mitigation Plan. With all of the natural disasters and human-induced disasters across the country this past year, the survey will be an important way that residents can help first responders understand the hazard readiness of residents in the region.  Please share the survey link with your friends, colleagues, and neighbors here in the Central Shenandoah Valley.

Watch WHSV’s coverage of the survey HERE.

The GO Virginia Region 8 Council is pleased to announce that it is accepting proposals for projects to be funded through the State’s GO Virginia initiative.  The Region 8 Council has approximately $828,000 in per capita GO Virginia funds to award for collaborative projects that involve two or more localities and a private sector partner.  Projects should be focused on diversifying the region’s economy in the targeted industries and eligible activities identified in Region 8’s Growth and Diversification Plan. In addition to the per capita funds, approximately $11.3 million in competitive statewide GO Virginia funds are also available for projects where two or more GO Virginia regions partner. The upcoming application deadlines are April 6, 2018, for per capita applications, and June 1, 2018, for per capita and competitive statewide applications.

The GO Virginia Region 8 Council application and a project application guide are available on the Shenandoah Valley Partnership website.  Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Bonnie Riedesel, Executive Director of the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission, (540) 885-5174, bonnie@cspdc.org to discuss their project prior to completing a project application.