Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA) is proud to announce the 2025 return of Launch LYH. This program is dedicated to revitalizing the heart of Lynchburg by supporting promising entrepreneurs eager to start, relocate, or expand their businesses in Downtown Lynchburg.

Launch LYH 2025 will mark the third and final iteration of the program, offering $100,000 in grant
funding to be distributed among the winners. These funds can be used for rent, build-out, inventory, or
other start-up costs.

By the end of its three-year run, Launch LYH will have introduced 15 businesses to Downtown
Lynchburg and invested $335,000 in small business owners. The 2023 cohort brought five new
businesses to Downtown Lynchburg including: Wolfbane Productions (723 Jefferson Street), Super Rad!
(58 9th Street), Mosaic Collective + Threaded (1212 Main Street), PREAM (409 5th Street, Ste. A), and
Easy Speak Dance Hall & Events (409 5th Street, Ste. B). In 2024, the program brought another round of
businesses downtown including Hunny B’s (821 Main Street), The Yard on 5th Street (801 Fifth Street),
Frostfire Sauna & Cold Plunge (1337 Main St Suite 2), and two additional businesses set to open in 2025:
Firebrick Pottery and Squared Biscuit Company.

Applications for Launch LYH 2025 are now open on the Downtown Lynchburg Association’s website
and will close Wednesday, January 31, 2025, at 11:30 p.m. Applicants will be notified of potential
acceptance by Friday, February 21, 2025.

Selected applicants will enroll in an eight-week business development course led by the Small Business
Development Center – Lynchburg Region. Classes will meet once a week and will culminate in a pitch
night, where participants will present their business plans to a panel of judges. Judges will then
determine which winners will receive $20,000 in grant funding based on applicants’ overall scores,
business needs, and growth potential.

The Launch LYH program is made possible by the continued support from the Virginia Department of
Housing and Community Development, Small Business Development Center – Lynchburg Region, and
the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation.

Sponsorship opportunities for Launch LYH are still available; click here to learn more.
For future announcements about the Launch LYH program, follow Downtown Lynchburg Association
on Instagram and Facebook, and sign up for the Downtown Lynchburg Association newsletter.
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