Join DEIC and Jerry Silva, Director of Regional Energy Development and Innovation at Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) for an information session on the Energy Ingenuity Fund.
TRRC has established a $12 million dollar Energy Ingenuity Fund for rural, disadvantaged, or Native American communities with $6 million designated for energy-related projects in each of its service regions, Southern and Southwest Virginia. This fund will capitalize on a skilled workforce and promote an energy focused economy for the Tobacco Region, recognizing that regions with a strong focus on energy can facilitate bringing energy jobs and investment to their localities.
The Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission will be accepting applications for a new round of funding. This round aims to build on the success of previous rounds of the program and continue to bring innovative energy projects, along with the jobs and investment that come with them, to Southern and Southwest Virginia. Application and Submission Information Energy Ingenuity Fund pre-application proposals for consideration in January 2026 must be submitted by midnight on November 17, 2025 through the Commission’s website.
The TRRC Energy Ingenuity Fund’s Guidelines and Request for Proposals are issued to solicit applications through a competitive process to establish grant and loan agreements for high impact economic development projects meeting the following objectives:
- Deployment of resources to amplify and accelerate investment in energy projects.
- Collaboration between key partners in energy and economic development.
- Enhancement and expansion of the region’s energy supply chain.
- Development of more energy resiliency in Southern and Southwest Virginia.
Jerry will discuss what projects have received funding and also detail what qualifies as a good project for the next round of funding. Potential project areas include, but are not limited to: energy manufacturing supply chain companies, energy production, grid resiliency, energy storage, microgrids, hydrogen generation, smart cities, wind, small scale modular reactors, conversion of coal mines, etc.
Join us to find out more about recent project funding and address specific energy project ideas for project funding consideration.
About the DEIC Greentech Network
The Greentech Network is how the DEIC connects early stage startups to funding opportunities, programs, ideas, and each other. Our Lunch & Learns serve as a catalyst for sparking ideas, nurturing collaborations, and fostering a vibrant community dedicated to propelling the clean energy and climate tech industries forward. As we dive into a series of engaging discussions, we believe that every connection made and insight shared enriches our collective journey towards a sustainable future