Virginia’s Entrepreneurial Region
In 2004, the Virginia General Assembly designated Carroll County, the City of Galax, and Grayson County as “Virginia’s Entrepreneurial Region.”
To promote this distinction, these localities formed the Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority (BRCEDA). Small business creation has traditionally been an underappreciated facet of economic development, even though small businesses account for most job growth in the United States. We at BRCEDA have taken the lead in devoting considerable resources to fostering entrepreneurship as an integral part of our comprehensive economic development plan.
Despite the organization’s youth, BRCEDA’s efforts have already begun to bear significant fruit. Through the Blue Ridge Crossroads Small Business Development Center, 137 local businesses have secured over $40 million in capital, leading to the creation or preservation of 600 jobs. We are willing to work with anyone in the Twin Counties who has the ideas, ambition, and work ethic necessary to build a successful business. BRCEDA has also helped secure funding for many vital infrastructure projects, including the Wired Road Broadband Authority, the Fries Revitalization Project, and Fancy Gap water and sewer development. We are active in industrial development as well, helping the Wildwood Commerce Park in Carroll County secure a vital $1m grant from the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification Commission.
The modern economy offers both challenges and opportunities in great measure. BRCEDA is committed to the success of the Blue Ridge Crossroads, helping its residents create a bright and prosperous future for themselves and their communities.