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Williamsburg Economic Development Authority outlines small-business supports, new hospitality training and incentive results
Summary
The city’s economic development staff described retention-focused programs, matching grants and a new regional tourism and hospitality training effort enabled by recent state legislation expanding the Fast Forward program. Staff summarized EDA incentive outcomes and ongoing outreach to local business owners.
The City of Williamsburg’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism presented its small-business retention programs and regional workforce-training plans to the City Council on May 8, 2025. Staff framed retention—helping existing local businesses grow—as the core engine of the city’s economy and described grants, concierge services and a new hospitality training effort tied to recent state legislative changes.
“Approximately 80% of your community’s economic growth is going to come from your existing business community,” department representative Miss Matsumoto told council, summarizing the office’s focus on business retention visits, grant support and partner referrals. The EDA’s matching grants include exterior improvement funds, website and search-engine-optimization support, Google interior virtual tours, and a grant that provides bike racks.
The departme…
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