Norfolk Department of Development

09/15/2026

Interested in growing and diversifying your business through exporting? Hear from trade experts and gain valuable insight on international opportunities at Proven Paths to Global Markets and the Trade Mission Advantage organized by Virginia Economic Development Partnership!

📆 Thursday, September 17
⏰ 11:45 AM - 2PM
📍 The Slover (235 E Plume Street Norfolk, VA)

🆓 Reserve your spot!

Proven Paths to Global Markets and the Trade Mission Advantage

09/14/2026

The Garden of Tomorrow at Norfolk Botanical Garden officially opens TODAY! 🌴🌵 This historic expansion is privately funded by 3000 generous donors who have contributed $50 million dollars to this project.

Be a part of the Garden of Tomorrow, today.
Visit gardenoftomorrow.org to learn more.

09/01/2026

Application portal now open for the City of Norfolk Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)!

The Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program is designed to assist small, early-stage businesses with fewer than 25 employees in the City of Norfolk.

RLF loans can range from $5,000 to $50,000. Where a larger loan is necessary to assist in the expansion or attraction of business in a targeted industry cluster, with significant job creation, additional funding may be available.

Interested in applying? The Fall 2026 application round is now open until October 14th! For more information and to apply, visit norfolkdevelopment.com/revolving-loan-fund-program/.

Questions? Contact the City of Norfolk’s Business Creation & Entrepreneurship team at [email protected].

08/18/2026

Is your Norfolk business growing? That's great news! Mark your calendars, on September 1st the next round of the Revolving Loan Fund Program opens! Visit our website www.norfolkdevelopment.com for detailed information and the info session schedule!

07/31/2026

Congratulations to Catalytic Generators, LLC on graduating from the Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program!

Headquartered Norfolk, Catalytic Generators designs and manufactures emissions control systems that help industries around the world reduce air pollution.

The VALET program, led by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (Virginia Economic Development Partnership), helps Virginia companies expand into global markets through export planning, coaching, and international business development.

We're proud to celebrate this milestone and thank Catalytic Generators for continuing to grow from Norfolk. Congratulations on this well-earned achievement, we look forward to seeing your continued success around the world.

07/29/2026

S.L. Nusbaum has been part of Norfolk’s story since 1906, and we’re proud to celebrate another chapter! Their decision to renew their downtown Norfolk headquarters for another decade is more than a lease signing; it's a reaffirmed investment in the city where their journey began over 120 years ago.

This kind of confidence sends a powerful message about the strength and future of our urban core.

To the entire S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. team, thank you for your enduring commitment to Norfolk and for continuing to help shape the skyline, the economy, and the community you’ve called home for generations.

There’s something meaningful about choosing, time and again, the place where your story started. More than a century later, S.L. Nusbaum’s roots remain firmly planted in downtown Norfolk, a testament to the deep and lasting relationship between a company and its hometown.

Thank you for your continued confidence in our city. Here’s to the next decade, and to the chapters yet to be written.

07/09/2026

Hey there, Norfolk businesses! Are you ready for the next round of CAP (Capital Access Grant Program)? If you are, be sure to attend one of our mandatory workshops next week, in person or virtually!

Summer is here, and so is your chance to grow with the City of Norfolk Economic Development Department’s Capital Access Program (CAP). The summer round of CAP begins next month, and it’s the perfect time to get your business ready for its next phase of growth.

CAP supports small to mid‑sized businesses and entrepreneurs who may not qualify for traditional funding. Through this program, you can access flexible financing designed to move your business forward.

Here’s how to get started this summer:
✅ Attend a mandatory workshop to receive your application certificate
📅 Explore the 2026 Summer Workshop Schedule below
✍️ Mark your calendar: Application portal opens July 21

Register for a virtual workshop here:

Welcome to the Capital Access Program! The application portal will open on Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 8:00am EDT. Click here to apply What is the Capital Access Program CAP...

06/20/2026

06/18/2026

Today's momentous ribbon cutting at the The Port of Virginia was quite fitting as we prepare to kick off a historic weekend of celebrations.