~ Team to support UCI Road World Cycling Championships sustainability effort ~ The Southern Regional Office of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) selected the City of Richmond and HandsOn Greater Richmond, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Groundwork RVA, and Virginia Green Travel Alliance to receive an AmeriCorps NCCC Team this Fall. The Southern Regional Office received 50 applications and awarded only 20 teams. NCCC is a full-time, team-based residential national service program for young adults who want to give back to communities in need at different locations across the country. There are currently more than 50,000 members serving in AmeriCorps NCCC. “Being selected as a recipient of an AmeriCorps NCCC team recognizes the importance the City places on volunteerism as a way to engage young people in the work of City government and improving the community,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. The Richmond NCCC team will have five to nine members and work in Richmond from

In a national survey of small businesses conducted by the website Thumbtack, the Richmond region ranked third in Business-friendly Cities. The survey included rankings in 11 different categories including; overall friendliness; ease of starting a business; ease of hiring; regulations; health and safety; employment, labor and hiring; tax code; licensing; environmental; zoning; and training and networking programs. The region received A+ ratings in nine of the 11 categories. “A business-friendly climate is at the heart of our region’s efforts to attract and retain companies, said Lee Downey, City’s Interim Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Planning and Economic Development. “Surveys such as this, that ask companies their opinions directly, validate that our efforts are on-track.” Richmond has been included in the survey since 2013 and the category ratings have improved greatly over the past two years. The first and second ranked cities are Manchester, N.H. and Dallas, TX resp

The City of Richmond and CultureWorks are pleased to announce a special cycle of the Arts and Cultural District Micro Grant Program . Arts and Cultural District Micro Grants provide funding assistance to district non-profits, small businesses and galleries located to reach visitors in the area during the 2015 UCI World Road Cycling Championships and major music and food festivals occurring between September 1 and November 1, 2015. Grants up to $1,000 are available to support arts related events, installations or programs in the Arts and Cultural District. Partnerships between entities located inside and outside the District are encouraged. Previous recipients of an Arts and Cultural District Micro Grant are eligible and encouraged to apply for this special cycle. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.  Awards will be based upon creativity in design and approach, coinciding with major events occurring in/near to the District during the grant period, and need. Th