Join Us in Building a Thriving Community

Empowering Black Businesses in Central Virginia

Empowering Black Businesses in Central Virginia

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Discover how our foundation is transforming the economic landscape for Black entrepreneurs through strategic support and innovative initiatives.

Welcome to the Central Virginia African American Foundation

The Central Virginia African American Foundation (CVAAF), a 501c3 organization, is dedicated to empowering Black businesses in Central Virginia through mentorship, resources, and entrepreneurial development initiatives. Our mission is to provide the tools and support necessary for businesses to thrive, bridge opportunity gaps, and promote sustainable growth.

Whether you’re a business owner, community leader, or supporter, we invite you to join us in creating a vibrant and inclusive economic ecosystem that uplifts Black businesses and strengthens our communities.

Key Initiatives

Access to
Capital
Mentorship
Programs
Workshops &
Training
Networking & Collaboration
BLACK BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

Our Signature Initiative

The foundation is proud to introduce a program to meet the needs of African American entrepreneurs and empower their growth in the areas of accessing capital, human resources and organizational development, brand building, and growing digitally. We are proud to have Chesterfield County Economic Development and Henrico County Economic Development as program sponsors.

We invite you to learn more and apply.

Learn More About BBAP

UPCOMING EVENTS

FALL 2026 BLACK BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

Impacting 225+ Business Owners
Are You Ready to Scale to Your Next Level?

Learn More and Apply

The Black Business Accelerator Program goal is to help propel African American businesses to a level in which they can compete and perform equally with majority businesses that have stronger roots and relationships. We support this goal with a 3 month course that covers 6 sessions with industry leaders in the areas of accessing capital, organizational development, human resources, branding, and growing digitally.

The Black Business Accelerator Program receives sponsorship from Henrico Economic Development, Chesterfield Economic Development, and the Virginia State University Center for Entrepreneurship, enabling us to offer a low tuition fee of $300 for the full course. Participants in the program have the choice to pay the tuition in full or opt for a two-payment plan, with the full payment due before the course’s first day.The program offers both virtual and in-person options. In-person classes are conducted at 6802 Paragon Place, Richmond, VA. Virtual students will receive information during the course to join. The course consists of six sessions held on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on the following dates. Applicants should ensure their availability for these dates before applying:

FALL 2026 DATES

  • September 9
  • September 23
  • October 7
  • October 21
  • November 4
  • November 18

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