This month, United Way of Greater Charlottesville announced the recipients of its Envision Enterprise Grant, which is offered through a partnership with the Offices of Economic Development from the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. Through this grant program, five local businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals received grant funding of $10,000 each to support support growth and expansion.
“Local economies thrive when small businesses grow and succeed,” shared Ravi Cooper, President & CEO of United Way of Greater Charlottesville. “Not only are these business owners supplying valuable services and products to our community, but they’re also supporting their own families and livelihoods, creating jobs for other community members, bringing vibrancy and charm to our neighborhoods, stimulating economic resiliency, and more.”
The nine locally-owned businesses selected to receive Envision Enterprise Grant funding are:
- A Mother’s Touch Childcare: Funding will be used for infant room renovations and improvements, toddler room renovations and improvements, professional painting, wall repair, cubbies/storage organization systems
- Allens Scottish Shortbread: Funding will be used for production and baking equipment, packaging and inventory, audits/store onboarding, e-commerce and website improvements
- Curated Concierge: Funding will be used for social media/Google advertising, photography & marketing content, website enhancements, printed marketing materials
- Second Serve Tennis: Funding will be used for court rental fees, equipment purchasing, expansion loan payment, travel for conferences and workshops
- Michelle’s Soul Food: Funding will be used for dining area furniture, kitchen supplies, marketing and advertising, professional website online ordering setup
The grants are offered to address the lack of access to affordable capital for financially stable small businesses within Charlottesville and Albemarle. They are designed to support small businesses that have achieved financial stability and are now ready to expand via employment, service, or product expansion or undertake planning for future expansion. But, due to having been socially disadvantaged, the primary owner could use financial capital to access the required resources needed to continue to grow and thrive.
Each recipient’s $10,000 grant will allow them to take their business to the next level. This provides stability for the business and the families behind the businesses, plus greater opportunities for employment in our community and more opportunities for community members to support local businesses.
Congratulations to the entrepreneurs who received a 2026 Envision Enterprise Grant! We hope these funding awards help you reach your business goals!