What it is
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is a Commonwealth agency based in Richmond. Its work is organized around housing, businesses, communities, building codes and broadband. For founders, the most relevant part is the Businesses section, which groups programs for starting a business, expanding a business, building entrepreneurial ecosystems, downtown improvements and industrial site development. DHCD also provides administrative support for GO Virginia, the state's regional economic development grant initiative.
What it offers founders and communities
Most DHCD economic development money flows to localities, development authorities and nonprofit partners rather than directly to individual startups. Founders usually benefit through local programs that DHCD funds. Key examples:
- Virginia Enterprise Zones: a state and local partnership offering a Job Creation Grant and a Real Property Investment Grant to qualifying businesses that create jobs or invest in real property inside a designated zone. Applications for the 2025 grant year ran January 1 to April 1, 2026 through an online portal.
- Community Business Launch: localities and economic development organizations apply for funds to run a local program that trains entrepreneurs in business planning and ends with a pitch competition, with winners receiving grant funding and support to open in vacant storefronts.
- Virginia Main Street: services and grants, such as Downtown Investment Grants and Community Vitality Grants, for organizations revitalizing historic commercial districts.
- Opportunity Zones: information on the federal tax incentive for investors placing capital gains in designated low income census tracts.
- Community Development Block Grants: funds to eligible local governments for business district revitalization, job creation and facade improvements.
Who it is for
DHCD is most useful to small business owners and founders who are hiring or investing in property within an Enterprise Zone, entrepreneurs in towns running a Community Business Launch competition, and economic developers, Main Street organizations and local governments building support systems for small businesses. Founders in Northern Virginia tech sectors will more often engage indirectly, through GO Virginia funded accelerators and workforce programs.
How to engage
Start with the Start a Business and Enterprise Zones pages to see which programs apply to you, then check with your city or county economic development office, since many programs are delivered locally. Watch for Community Business Launch competitions announced by your locality. Grant applications from partners are handled through DHCD's online CAMS portal. General questions go to the main line at 804-371-7000, and the Enterprise Zone team can be reached at ezone@dhcd.virginia.gov.
Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem
DHCD sets much of the statewide small business and community development infrastructure that Virginia localities build on, and it supports GO Virginia, which funds regional projects such as accelerators, talent programs and innovation districts across Northern Virginia. Understanding which DHCD programs your locality uses can help you find local grants, designated zones and downtown space programs.
