Economic Regions

• Northern Virginia
• Central Virginia
• Eastern Shore
• Hampton Roads
• Southern Piedmont
• Southwest Virginia
• Valley

There are numerous other economic partnerships, and their boundaries define "communities" from an economic perspective:

• Appomattox Basin Industrial Development Corporation
• Franklin/Southampton Economic Development
• Fredericksburg Regional Alliance
• Greater Richmond Partnership
• The Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance
• Lake Country Marketing Council
• Manufacturing Technology Center (serving Southwest Virginia)
• New Century Region (New River Valley, Alleghany Highlands, and Roanoke Valley)
  • Center for Innovative Leadership
    • position paper on the regional concept
    • What is the New Economy? Is the New Century Region Ready?
    • May 2000 economic conference brochure
    • Studies on the Regional Economy & Public Attitudes Toward Growth in Western Virginia (November 13, 2000)
  • New Century Technology Council
• New River Valley Alliance
• Northern Virginia Economic Development Coalition
• Peninsula Alliance for Economic Development
• Rappahannock Area Development Commission
• Roanoke Valley Economic Development Partnership
• Shenandoah Valley Partnership
• Southern Virginia Economic Development Partnership
• Thomas Jefferson Partnership - Greater Charlottesville
• Virginia Southwest Promise
• Virginia's Eastern Shore
• Virginia's Heartland
• Virginia's Region 2000 (Lynchburg area)

There are over 30 state-assisted Small Business Development Centers across Virginia, but only 4 Better Business Bureaus serving Virginia:

• BBB of Greater Hampton Roads (Norfolk)
• BBB of Central Virginia (Richmond)
• BBB of Western Virginia (Roanoke)
• BBB of Metropolitan Washington (Washington, DC)

The A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership (VPMEP) has members with a statewide perspective, such as the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), Virginia Department of Business Assistance (DBA), and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). In addition, community colleges blanketing the state in 23 regions are involved, and the Wytheville Community College hosts the Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC). However, a close look at the educational partners shows the economic advantage of having a major university nearby in the neighborhood:

• James Madison University (JMU) - Virginia's Manufacturing Innovation Center (VMIC)
• Technology Applications Center (TAC)
• University of Virginia (UVA) - School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Virginia Tech (once known as VPI...) - Engineering and Business
• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) - Engineering and Biotech Park
• Helping The Chips Fall Just Right, about the microelectronics center at Virginia Commonwealth University (from Progressive Engineer magazine)