The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is now accepting applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF) Planning Grant.

The IRF program encourages economic development and investment through the renovation of vacant and derelict structures in Virginia. Each year, the program awards funding to localities throughout the state to assist market-drive projects that eliminate blighted structures and creates revitalization throughout Virginia communities. The success of the IRF program over the past nine years, as well as the need to support COVID-impacted industries, communities and people has led to additional funding through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). As a result, planning grants are available to help bolster early-stage projects, enabling feasibility studies and other planning-related activities for potential IRF applicants in Spring 2023.

Potential planning grant activities could include:

• Surveys;
• Vacant building inventories;
• Preliminary design and renderings;
• Building code and zoning assessments;
• Pro forma development;
• Market demand studies; or
• Other planning activities (consult the IRF team)

Applications must be received no later than 11:59 PM on November 04, 2022. Applications must also be submitted through DHCD’s Centralized Application and Management System (CAMS). Please review the FY23 IRF Planning Grant Guidelines and How-to-Apply Webinar for additional details before submitting an application. If you have any questions, please email realestate@dhcd.virginia.gov.

Photo Credit: Virginia DHCD