HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – Mayor Deanna Reed announced this week that Harrisonburg has been selected to participate in the Southern Cities Economic Initiative (SCEI), a program led by National League of Cities in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. The city will receive a grant of $15,000 from NLC through funding by SCEI’s philanthropic partners and will join 19 other cities from across the southern United States to develop strategies to assist small businesses and drive long-term economic growth.

Through participation in this project Harrisonburg plans to expand the outreach and efforts of the Harrisonburg Entrepreneurship Development Initiative (HEDI), a pilot program launched in February. HEDI seeks to develop early-stage business owners by providing one-on-one consulting. Participants meet with a business coach to discuss the business, and to identify an area in which they’d like to enhance their skills. They then engage with a dedicated subject matter expert for the training. Once completed, participants are eligible for a mini grant.

City leaders believe Harrisonburg’s selection for the program is a testament to the City’s dedication to economic development and financial empowerment for community members.

“We are committed to fostering economic opportunity for all residents, and we are excited to be part of this initiative with NLC and our fellow Southern cities,” Mayor Deanna Reed said in a press release. “Harrisonburg is focused on being a city where residents can attain financial security and empowerment through effective small business and entrepreneurship support and strategies that build economic wellbeing and resiliency while eliminating long standing inequities. And this program will go a long way in helping us support our strong and diverse entrepreneurial talent.”