Business Resources

Tools, funding, and connections for Middlesex businesses.

Funding programs, workforce connections, marketing channels, available properties, and the EDA’s broader network — assembled in one place for entrepreneurs, existing businesses, and anyone exploring Middlesex County as a place to do business

Funding

Capital and grant programs for Middlesex businesses.

From local bank lending to state grants to the EDA’s own programs, here’s where to start looking for funding to launch, grow, or improve a business in Middlesex County

Local Funding Options

Local banks with lending programs.

C&F Bank

Community bank serving Middlesex and the Middle Peninsula with small business lending, commercial loans, and business banking services.

Learn More →

Blue Ridge Bank

Regional bank offering small business and commercial loan programs, SBA lending, and business banking products across Virginia.

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Primis Bank

Community-focused bank with small business lending, commercial banking, and a presence in Middlesex County

Learn More →

State Funding Options

Commonwealth of Virginia opportunities

GO Virginia Region 6 Grants

State-funded regional grants supporting workforce development, site readiness, and business growth across the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. The EDA can help identify whether a project may qualify and how to engage Region 6.

Learn More →

Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant Programs

VTC funds several grant programs open to tourism-facing businesses and partners in Middlesex County — including the Marketing Leverage Program (matching marketing partnerships that drive overnight stays), the Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program (smaller-scale matching for microbusinesses), and Special Events Grants (event-driven visitation projects). The EDA can advise on fit and timing.

Learn More →

Middlesex EDA Programs

Direct programs offered by the Middlesex County EDA

Community Revolving Loan Fund (CRLF)

Loans to encourage the viability and sustainability of businesses and non-profits in Middlesex County. Established 2024 by the EDA. Schedule a meeting with the Executive Director before filing an application.

Policy & Procedures

Loan Application

Façade & Site Improvement Grant

50/50 matching grant up to $5,000 per project for non-residential property improvements in Middlesex County, including the Town of Urbanna. Priorities: painting, windows/awnings, signs, lighting, dumpster screening, parking lot striping, sidewalks.

Guidelines & Application

Business Retention, Expansion, Formation & Attraction Grant

EDA grant program supporting business retention, expansion, formation, and attraction in Middlesex County. Includes a business plan checklist and financial reporting requirements.\

Grant Application

Event Sponsorship / Grant

EDA grant supporting community events that drive economic activity and visitor traffic in Middlesex County. Open to non-profits with established Federal/State tax status (or with a qualifying co-applicant).

Grant Application

Workforce, Jobs & Hiring

Connecting Middlesex employers with workforce resources.

A dedicated Middlesex County job board is in the works. In the meantime, hiring conversations happen across local community channels and regional workforce partners.

Coming Soon

Middlesex County Job Board

The EDA is developing an official job board for Middlesex County employers and job seekers. Until launch, hiring posts and local opportunities are most active in the Jobs & Opportunities — Middlesex County Facebook group.

Visit the Facebook Group →

Regional Partner

Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board

Bay Consortium provides workforce development services across the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula — including job seeker support, employer services, apprenticeships, training programs, and career pathways for Middlesex residents and businesses.

Learn More →

Business Directory

Get your business on the map.

The Middlesex Business Directory makes it easier for visitors, residents, and prospective customers to find local businesses, services, restaurants, marinas, lodging, retail, and trades across the county. The directory is housed inside the Explore Middlesex app — and is being actively expanded to include every Middlesex business, not just tourism-facing ones.

Submit Your Business →

The Explore Middlesex App · Powered by VisitWidget

About to be even better.

The Explore Middlesex app is becoming the live directory of Middlesex businesses, services, and experiences. Search by category, browse by location, plan a visit, or just see who’s nearby. Available free on iOS, Android, and the web.

  • Full Middlesex business directory
  • Trades, services & professional listings
  • Restaurants, lodging, marinas & retail
  • Maps, directions & visitor wayfinding
  • Local events calendar
  • Curated itineraries & guides

Download On

App Store

Get it on

Google Play

Or Use the

Web Version →

Marketing & Promotion

How the EDA Helps Businesses Get Noticed

Getting more attention on your business doesn’t have to fall on you alone. The EDA has several ways to help — from regional tourism marketing to event coverage to on-camera storytelling. Most of it is free to local businesses

Getting Listed

Submit your business through the directory form and the EDA ensures your listing appears in the Explore Middlesex app. If your business is tourism-facing, we also push your listing to the Virginia’s River Realm site and app — extending visibility into the regional tourism audience.

Submit Your Business →

General Tourism Marketing

The EDA manages and promotes an active tourism marketing program through Explore Middlesex and Virginia’s River Realm — campaigns, social media, photography, video, and digital advertising that drives visitor attention to Middlesex businesses. Want to be part of an upcoming campaign? Reach out to the EDA

Learn More →

Ribbon Cutting/Grand Openings

Opening a new business, launching a new location, or celebrating a milestone? The EDA helps coordinate ribbon cuttings and grand opening events — bringing County and community presence to the moment, with promotion through EDA channels.

Request a Ribbon Cutting →

Rising Tide Video Series

Rising Tide is the EDA’s video series spotlighting Middlesex businesses. Tell your story on camera and join the County’s growing library of business profiles — used across Explore Middlesex, social channels, and partner marketing.

Request Filming →

Available Sites & Properties

Where to build, locate, or invest in Middlesex.

Looking for a place to build or set up shop? Browse County-owned property, commercial real estate currently for sale, and the priority development areas the region has flagged for growth. The list keeps growing — check back, or reach out if you don’t see what you need.

commercial for Sale • Deltaville

16498 General Puller Hwy

  • 3,500 SF freestanding building perfect
    for a retail or office user 
  • 2 covered drive aisles
  • ±30 parking spaces
  • 1.87 acres, zoned General Business
  • Easy access and great visibility on
    General Puller Highway

Learn More →

commercial for Sale • Urbanna

390 Virginia Street

  • 7,500 sq ft commercial office building
  • 10 rooms across a single story
  • 1.34 acres with paved parking
  • Brick construction, built 2010, very good condition
  • Public water and sewer

Learn More →

Commercial for Sale • Urbanna

35 Watling Street

  • 650 sq ft commercial building
  • Steps from Urbanna’s marina, shops, and restaurants
  • Currently operating as a hair salon and retail boutique
  • Turnkey salon opportunity with immediate income potential
  • Public water and sewer in place

Learn More →

Have questions regarding a property or site? Want to have your property listed in our inventory? Contact the EDA.

Partnerships

State, Regional & Community Partnerships

Economic development is a collaborative effort. The EDA works with local, regional, and state partners to advance business growth, tourism, workforce initiatives, infrastructure planning, and long-term investment throughout Middlesex County.

Middlesex County Board of Supervisors

Middlesex County Water Authority

Middlesex County Broadband Authority

Virginia Initiative for Growth and Opportunity

Virginia Economic Development Partnership

Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission

Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board

Rappahannock Community College

Virginia Tourism Corporation

Virginia's River Realm

Get in Touch

Connect with the EDA.

Have questions or looking for guidance? We’re here to help connect you with resources, opportunities, and the next steps for doing business in Middlesex County.

Contact the EDA →

GET TO KNOW

John Anzivino

John Anzivino brings decades of experience in economic development, local government administration, and public-sector leadership to the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority, where he has served as a board member since 2018 and Chairman since 2020.

Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, John earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Concord University and a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Urban and Regional Administration from the University of Georgia. John and his wife, Kristi, purchased property in Urbanna in 2008 before becoming full-time Middlesex County residents in 2016.

Throughout his career, John has held leadership positions in planning, economic development, and local government across the Mid-Atlantic region. His experience includes serving as Planning Director and Deputy Director for the Eastern Panhandle Planning District Council in West Virginia, State Planning Director for the Governor’s Office of West Virginia, County Administrator in both Amelia and Caroline Counties, and Town Manager for the Town of Warrenton, Virginia. He also served as Senior Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Group Director for a national consulting firm specializing in public-sector management, organizational development, budgeting, and economic development.

Even in retirement, John has continued serving communities throughout Virginia in interim leadership roles, including Interim Town Manager, Interim County Administrator, and Interim Executive Director for several localities and economic development organizations. He currently serves as Chairman of GO Virginia Region 6 and is also a member of the Town of Urbanna Board of Zoning Appeals.

John joined the Middlesex County EDA to help support future generations by expanding economic opportunities throughout the County. He believes economic development in Middlesex should remain balanced — building upon the County’s rural character, waterways, working waterfronts, agriculture, forestry, and tourism economy while creating sustainable opportunities for residents to live and work close to home.

GET TO KNOW

Doug McMinn

Doug McMinn was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and graduated from Brigham Young University in 1996 with a degree in microbiology. A lifelong love for the Chesapeake Bay and strong family ties to the region led Doug to become a full-time resident of Middlesex County in 1997.

From 1997 to 2000, Doug served as the Marine Science Director at Christchurch Episcopal School. He married his wife, Karen, in 1998, and the couple later moved to St. Croix, USVI, where they worked at Good Hope School before returning home to Middlesex County in 2001.

In 2002, Doug started a small oyster farm on the Rappahannock River. He expanded those operations in 2003 by founding Chesapeake Bay Oyster Company, which farm-raises oysters and develops and distributes commercial shellfish farming equipment. Doug is also a founding member and current board member of the Shellfish Growers of Virginia, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Virginia’s shellfish farming industry, and serves on the State Aquaculture Advisory Committee.

Doug and Karen live in Wake, Virginia and have three children, all graduates of Middlesex County High School.

As a member of the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority, Doug is passionate about supporting long-term economic stability while increasing public access to the waterways that help define Middlesex County.

GET TO KNOW

Hallie Jean Holmes

Hallie J. Holmes is a lifelong resident of Middlesex County and currently serves on the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority. Following her retirement in 2010 from the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center, Hallie committed herself to volunteering and serving the Middlesex community in any capacity she could.

Hallie attended Rappahannock Community College in Glenns, Virginia, where she studied subjects including psychology, chemistry, biology, algebra, and constitutional law. Over the years, she has worked a variety of jobs throughout Middlesex, Essex, Richmond, and Gloucester, giving her a broad understanding of the region and its communities.

As the daughter of a former waterman who worked as both a menhaden fisherman and oysterman before later serving as Sheriff, Hallie has deep roots in Middlesex County’s maritime heritage and working waterfront culture. Her travels throughout Virginia and across the country have also given her a strong appreciation for tourism, local identity, and community development — though she says Middlesex has always felt like home.

Hallie enjoys genealogy and local history research, baking pound cakes for family and friends, and continuing to learn through community leadership opportunities, including recent board leadership training through the River Counties Community Foundation.

GET TO KNOW

Joe Heyman

Joe Heyman is the President of The Allen Group Inc. and has been a business owner and community leader in Middlesex County since moving to the area in 1989. Shortly after relocating, Joe started his construction business and has since built experience across several industries including construction, hospitality, marina operations, commercial leasing, and small business development.

Throughout his career, Joe has remained deeply involved in the Middlesex community, serving on numerous local boards and organizations including the YMCA, the Urbanna Oyster Festival, and the Middlesex Sports Complex. He also previously served on the Urbanna Town Council and has spent many years coaching local youth sports programs.

Joe joined the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority to help support existing businesses while encouraging new economic opportunities throughout the County. To him, economic development means creating an environment where small businesses can succeed and where future generations have opportunities to live, work, and invest locally.

One area Joe is especially excited about is expanding recreation and boating access throughout Middlesex County and continuing to strengthen the County’s connection to the water. Outside of work and community service, he enjoys sailing and spending time with his family, including his grandchildren.

GET TO KNOW

Gerald "Jerry" Crittenden

Gerald “Jerry” F. Crittenden is a lifelong resident of Middlesex County and a fifth-generation member of the Deltaville community. A graduate of Middlesex County Public Schools, Jerry earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Radford University in 1988.

Throughout his career, Jerry has worked across several industries including farming, education, coaching, agricultural supply sales, and contracting. He is the owner of GFC Contracting LLC and part owner of T.H. Crittenden & Son (Riverdale Farm), a third-generation family farming operation in Middlesex County.

Deeply involved in the local community, Jerry has served for more than 30 years as a Little League baseball coach and has managed the Deltaville Deltas baseball team for over four decades. He is also a founding board member of the Wilton Hunt Club and serves on the boards of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau, the Deltaville Community Association, and the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority.

Jerry and his wife, Martha Fleet Crittenden, have three children and two grandchildren, all of whom reside in Middlesex County. In his free time, he enjoys baseball, hunting, and fishing.