The 2026 Envision Enterprise Grant application has opened. The Envision Enterprise Grants are intended to support the growth and expansion of small, financially stable, for-profit businesses owned by socially disadvantaged individuals in the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County.
Click here to apply! Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2026. This year’s available funding will be administered through nine grants in the amount of $10,000 each.
The Envision Enterprise Grant program is offered through a partnership between the United Way of Greater Charlottesville, the City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development, and the Albemarle County Office of Economic Development. Please see the criteria for eligibility and required application documentation below.
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Through last year’s grant program, four businesses each received $10,000, totaling $40,000 in grant funding combined. Recipients included Monster Cleaning Services, Sisters Who Care, SVN7VII Brand, and Black Roses Landscaping. Business owners were encouraged to use the funding for growth tactics that would facilitate expansion, such as hiring more employees, ordering supplies, investing in marketing, and more.
Eligibility criteria
The Envision Enterprise Grant opportunity is intended for for-profit businesses that meet the following criteria:
- The business must be located and licensed in the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County.
- The business must have been in operation for at least two consecutive years, have no more than 25 employees, and have a net income of less than $200,000.
- The business must be the sole source of employment income for the business owner, and the business owner must work for the business in a full-time capacity.
Note: Current and/or former United Way of Greater Charlottesville grant recipients or Prosper program participants that have received funding within one calendar year are not eligible for this opportunity.
Required documentation
- SCC certificate.
- Two (2) calendar or fiscal year internal financial statements.
- Two (2) federal tax returns.
- Two (2) Charlottesville City/Albemarle County business licenses.
The Envision Enterprise Grants are a part of United Way of Greater Charlottesville small business support offerings, which also include the Business Development Grants and the Envision Business Guide. Uplifting, empowering, and supporting local small businesses is vital to United Way’s mission to help all families thrive in Greater Charlottesville. These investments not only help local entrepreneurial families build wealth, but they also generate local jobs, cash flow, community vibrancy, and more.
