Virginia’s Appalachian Regional Commission

SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. We have been doing this for nearly fifty years.

Because our work is supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and thanks to our network of 12,000+ volunteers, we are able to deliver our services at no charge or at very low cost.

The Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) leverages local and private resources to achieve market-driven redevelopment of vacant and deteriorated industrial and commercial properties.

The program is targeted toward vacant industrial structures whose poor condition creates physical and economic blight to the surrounding area in which the structure is located. Eligible properties shall include those formerly used for manufacturing, warehousing, mining, transportation and power production, as well as large-scale white elephant structures, such as department stores, theaters, hotels and shopping centers. Structures whose original intended use was solely residential are not eligible.

Remnants of past economic vibrancy and local economies in transition, these structures are no longer suited for their former purpose, and in their current deteriorated condition, stand as a significant deterrent for future economic opportunity in the surrounding area and region. The maximum level of funding is $500,000.

The Virginia Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program provides funding to eligible units of local government for planning and implementing projects that address critical community development needs, including housing, infrastructure and economic development. The goal of the CDBG Program is to improve the economic and physical environment in Virginia’s communities through activities which primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons, prevent or eliminate slums and blighting conditions or meet urgent needs which threaten the welfare of citizens.