Regional council pitches grants, on‑call consultants and hazard mitigation to Buckingham supervisors

Christin Jackson, executive director of the Commonwealth Regional Council (CRC), told the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors on June 8 that CRC provides grant writing and project administration, GIS mapping, transportation and economic development services for seven counties in the region.

Jackson highlighted CRC’s recently approved Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS), eligibility for federal EDA funds (including public‑works grants with rolling applications), and an on‑call consultant program that lets counties and subordinate entities (school boards, fire departments) hire vetted firms without issuing new RFPs. She described partner consultants available through the program — from engineering and GIS firms to planning and architecture consultants — and said the roster can shorten procurement timelines by roughly two months.

Jackson also described regional work on hazard mitigation, a regional housing study to make counties eligible for Virginia Housing funding, broadband affordability planning and a pilot "Booms" main‑street revitalization project to create building pro formas and toolkits for rural downtowns.

Why it matters: CRC services can help Buckingham secure state and federal funding, accelerate procurement and support planning for resilience, housing and economic development.

Next steps: Jackson offered follow‑up meetings with county staff to identify near‑term projects that might qualify for CRC assistance and encouraged supervisors to request CRC support for grant applications or consultant matches.

Ending: Supervisors thanked Jackson; County Administrator Karl R. Carter noted staff would coordinate next steps where appropriate.