The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) was created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1999 as a mechanism to manage proceeds awarded to the state from the national tobacco settlement. Since that time, the commission has awarded nearly 2,000 grants totaling more than $1 billion to promote education and workforce development opportunities and stimulate economic growth across the tobacco region of Virginia.
The priorities for awarding these grants are derived largely from the Commission’s Strategic Plan. Legislation passed in 2015 slightly restructured the commission and requires regular updates to the plan. The commission has begun the process of creating our new Strategic Plan. We need the public’s help to assure that the new plan continues to reflect the emerging goals and priorities of communities throughout the Tobacco Region.
As co-chairs of the commission’s Strategic Planning Committee and citizen members of the commission, we hope the communities of Southside and Southwest Virginia will join us at two Regional Summits as we begin this discussion with our community partners. Our goal is to discuss shared economic development priorities for the coming years, and we welcome your attendance.
Please join us on Monday, April 18 at 1 p.m. at The Prizery in South Boston or on Tuesday, April 26 at 9 a.m. at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. Please visit www.tic.virginia.gov to RSVP. If you are unable to attend but would still like to submit comments, you may do so via the website or by emailing info@tic.virginia.gov.
Sincerely,
Becky Coleman Missy Neff Gould
Co-Chairs,
TRRC Strategic
Planning Committee
