Local E-Commerce Grants

Local E-Commerce Grants

Below is a listing of grants available to help business owners in the Hampton Roads area pay for website development.  Most of the grants will pay for up to 50% of your website development costs!

City of Hampton E-Commerce Grant

Currently out of funding - check back soon!

The Hampton IDA along with the assistance of the Hampton Department of Economic Development has created a E-Commerce Grant Program aimed at assisting Hampton businesses in order to optimize productivity, marketing and technology plans that will assist in retaining and growing employment, and business profitability.

The IDA will contract with various Service Providers who will provide a spectrum of e-commerce resources to help Hampton businesses assess their business needs, and will develop e-commerce solutions with an emphasis on return on investment. Where appropriate, the Service Provider will provide its proprietary applications and will customize them to the Hampton business's specific needs.

The type of assistance includes, but is not limited to the following e-commerce services:

• Web Design and Development Services including custom website design, information architecture and graphic user interface planning, database driven website design and development, content management solutions, usability testing, advanced scripting and programming, custom database development, collaboration and social networking (Web 2.0), website accessibility analysis, and maintenance contracts.
• Consultation Services including information technology strategic planning, ecommerce needs and marketing assessments, domain name registration assistance, hosting service needs assessments, website analytics, and website security assessments and testing tools.
• Internet Marketing Services including email marketing, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, eNewletters, blogs, RSS, Wikis.
• E-Commerce Services including shopping carts, donation and membership systems, online security assessments and testing tools.

Grant Amounts

• Grants to non-minority owned business shall not exceed 50% of the total project cost up to a maximum of $10,000, once every three years.
• Grants to minority-owned businesses shall not exceed 60% of the total project cost up to a maximum of $10,000, once every three years.
• Funding is subject to appropriation and grants are made on a first-come, first served basis.

Requirements

• Grants are made on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to funding availability.
• Must be a for-profit business currently licensed in and with its principal office located within the City of Hampton.
• Projects must be legal, no adult only material, ethical, and commercially viable.
• Applicants must use a preapproved Certified E-Commerce Grant Service Providers.
• Grants are to be used for the creation or enhancement of e-commerce sites and cannot be used for domain registration, web hosting, general maintenance services, or annual subscriptions.
• Grant funds cannot be awarded for a project which has been initiated prior to the approval of a grant application.

Downtown Hampton Co-op Advertising Grant

Purpose:  Is a grant developed to assist Downtown businesses with advertising and promotional activities.  Funds will be allocated quarterly to this program to enable more participation throughout the fiscal year. Applications will be reviewed for approval in the order of which they are received and funding will be provided until quarterly allocations are depleted.

Grant: A maximum quarterly grant of $500 for multiple advertising/marketing projects.

Qualification Requirements:

1)  Limited to businesses located in the Downtown Business District.

2)  Application must be submitted.

3)  Funding cannot exceed 25% of the total advertising costs.

4)  Advertisement design should incorporate the Downtown logo.

Financial Value of Incentive:

Grants up to $500 for one or more projects per quarter with DHDP approval. 

Contact Sherry Spring at (757)727-1271 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

City of Newport News E-Commerce Grant

Purpose: The purpose of this program is to assist Small, Women- and Minority-owned, for-profit Newport News companies in growing their business through e-Commerce.

Overview: The Economic Development Authority of the City of Newport News, Virginia (EDA) has agreed to help Newport News Small, Women- and Minority-owned private businesses grow revenues and jobs through e-Commerce, and has set aside a business assistance grant fund for that purpose.

Funding is for eligible e-Commerce services benefiting Small, Women - and Minority-owned, for-profit businesses licensed and located in Newport News.  Funds are awarded on a per-case basis and must be provided by a registered licensed e-Commerce service provider.

e-Commerce services can include but are not limited to the following:

• Search engine optimization
• Website design and development 
• Shopping systems and email marketing 
• System database development 
• Other e-Commerce innovations and enhancements as approved by EDA staff

Availability: Grants are made on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to available funding.

Eligibility: Interested businesses should contact EDA staff for full program information.  Eligibility is determined at the discretion of EDA staff.

Grant Amounts: Awards up to $2,500 for most Newport News small private businesses, not to exceed 50% of total project cost.
Grant Amounts (Women- and Minority-owned Businesses): Awards up to $4,500, not to exceed 50% of total project cost.

Grant Process / How Program Works

1. Interested businesses can obtain full program information and application from the website noted below or can contact EDA staff at 757-926-3793. EDA staff review process will determine eligibility* - projects must be legal and commercially viable.
2. All businesses must obtain two (2) quotes from e-Commerce Service Providers that are properly registered and licensed that can provide references. 
3. Each grant award is subject to review and approval of EDA staff and/or their designees. 
4. Grant funds will not be awarded to projects which have been completed prior to approval of a grant application and execution of a Grant Agreement. 
5. Approved grant recipients should pay their portion of the project cost to the Service Provider and EDA staff must receive verification of payment prior to releasing grant funds. 
6. EDA funds are paid to the e-Commerce Service Provider for the approved portion of project cost at project completion.

Full e-Commerce program information and application can be found here.

Contact Tricia Wilson, Business Development Specialist, at 757-926-3793 or email twilson@nngov.com.  
 

* City of Newport News employees, employee spouses, EDA Board Members, spouses or other City officials and spouses are not eligible to participate in grant program.

York County E-Commerce Grant

Overview:
The York County E-Commerce Grant Program is a partnership of the York County Economic Development Authority and Office of Economic Development. The program was created to encourage e-commerce development of York County's private businesses.

Grant Details:
This grant program awards matching grants only; on a first-come, first-served basis.  The grants  are for design work only.  Annual Maintenance or Service Fees (i.e. Internet Service Provider, Priority Listing, Domain Name, or Website Hosting Fees) are not eligible for grant funds.

Grant Amounts:
Grants are 50 percent of total project costs up to $500 per business.  Minority and women owned businesses (SWAM Certification required) may receive a matching grant up to $1,000.

Qualification Criteria:
Businesses must have a current York County Business License.  The web site must not contain illegal or adult material.

Approval Criteria:
A new website must be established, where none previously existed for the applicant; or, the applicant's existing web page must be enhanced to accept online payments and/or to offer online shopping (catalog or cart).

Application Process:
Applicant must first download and print the APPLICATION.

1. Applicant contacts at least two website providers to get a minimum of two quotes for the work they want done.
2. Applicant completes, signs, and submits the grant application (including both quotes and indicating the chosen provider) via email ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), fax (757-890-4410), mail (York County Economic Development, P.O. Box 612, Yorktown, VA 23690), or in person (224 Ballard Street in Historic Yorktown).
3. York County Economic Development staff will send notification to the applicant acknowledging receipt of their application.
4. Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis by the York County Economic Development Authority.
5. York County Economic Development staff will send a letter or email to the applicant informing them of the decision.  If approved, then this letter is the authority for the applicant to begin work.
6. Website provider completes the project as quoted.
7. Applicant business pays the website provider in full and submits paid receipts and/or copy of returned checks to the York County Office of Economic Development .
8. York County Economic Development staff will verify completion of the project as quoted and provide grant payment to the applicant business.

PRINT THE GRANT APPLICATION

Submit Application via:

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fax: 757-890-4410
Mail: York County Economic Development, P.O. Box 612, Yorktown, VA 23690
In person: York County Economic Development, 224 Ballard St., Yorktown, VA 23690

James City County E-Commerce Grant

The County has set aside a business assistance grant fund to help businesses grow revenues and jobs through e-commerce.

E-Commerce Projects Include:

• search engine optimization assessment (with implementation if necessary)
• web site design and development - repair of broken and ineffectual sites
• portable, scalable shopping systems with a client administrative interface
• custom database development assistance with eVA (electronic Virginia) interface for businesses engaging in B2B and B2G selling online

The E-Commerce Grant Guidelines may be downloaded here.
The E-Commerce Application may be downloaded here.

For information on the grant process and how it works, contact Kathryn Sipes, Business Development and Retention Coordinator, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 757-253-6607.

City of Williamsburg E-Commerce Grant

The Williamsburg EDA offers matching grants up to $1,500 to businesses that are creating or enhancing ECommerce on their web sites. 

Program Details

Program Application in "fillable" PDF

Overview
The Williamsburg ECommerce Grant Program is a joint undertaking by the Williamsburg Economic Development Authority and the City of Williamsburg that began in 2008.  The EDA established the Program to help facilitate technology access for small, private businesses located exclusively in the City of Williamsburg.  The City supplied start-up funding for the Program and continues to provide financial support.

Grant Details
Projects for which grants are available include:

• Web Site Design and Development
• Online Shopping Systems
• Search Engine optimization
• Other enhancements that increase traffic and commerce to the business

Annual Maintenance or Service Fees (i.e. Internet Service Provider, Priority Listing, Domain Name, or Website Hosting Fees) are not eligible for grant funds.

Grant Amounts
Grants are matching grants equal to 50 percent of total cost of the approved project, with a maximum lifetime grant amount of $1,500.00.  Grants are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Qualification Criteria
Businesses must be for-profit, have a current City Business License, and be located in the City of Williamsburg, with no more than three physical locations in the City, and no locations outside of the City.  The same business may not receive more than one grant within a 12-month period. 

Approval Criteria

• Where the applicant has no presently existing web site, a new website must be established, or
• the applicant's existing website must be enhanced to accept online payments and/or to offer online shopping (catalog or cart) or or other clearly identified enhancement to increase traffic and commerce to the business.

Acceptable Providers
The primary physical business location of the website designer must be in the Commonwealth of Virginia and website design must be one of the designer's primary full-time business activities.

Application Process
Applicant must first download and complete the application.

1. Applicant contacts at least two website providers to get a minimum of two quotes for the work they want done.
2. Applicant completes, signs, and submits the grant application (including both quotes and indicating the chosen provider) via email ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), fax (757-259-8046), mail (Williamsburg Economic Development, 401 Lafayette Street, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185), or in person (401 Lafayette Street, Williamsburg, Virginia.)
3. Williamsburg Economic Development staff will email notification to the applicant acknowledging receipt of their application.
4. Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis by the Williamsburg Economic Development Authority.
5. Williamsburg Economic Development staff will send an email to the applicant informing them of the decision.  If approved, then this email is the authority for the applicant to begin work.
6. Website provider completes the project as quoted.
7. Applicant business pays the website provider in full and submits paid receipts and/or copy of returned checks to the Williamsburg Office of Economic Development.
8. Williamsburg Economic Development staff will verify completion of the project as quoted and provide grant payment to the applicant business.

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