^{Photo (Left to Right): Abigail Patterson, VEDP, Maggie Elliott, Believe in Bristol, Karen Zamorski, Cape Charles Main Street, Peirce Macgill, City of Harrisonburg, Wendy May and Shayla Rickard, Frederick County EDA, Donna Davis, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys, Garrett Hart, Chesterfield Economic Development}

Frederick County Recognized by Virginia Economic Developers Association

2026 Community Impact Award for Driving Innovation

Frederick County, Virginia – March 27, 2026 – Frederick County's FredCo Eats brand is the recipient of a Community Impact Award by the Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA).  Five communities across the Commonwealth were recognized for exceptional initiatives that advance economic vitality through innovative, collaborative economic and community development programs. 

The annual CEDA program highlights best practices in business retention and expansion, community development and community involvement. Awards were presented during VEDA’s 2026 Spring Conference.

Honorable Mention: FredCo Eats (Frederick County)
FredCo Eats is a place-based branding and economic development initiative designed to unify and promote Frederick County’s food and beverage economy. Through a flexible, community-driven “hub-and-spoke” model, the program has increased visibility, strengthened partnerships and driven measurable growth across the local food sector, including significant increases in restaurant participation and regional engagement. The initiative highlights the power of branding and collaboration as tools for economic development. 

“The foundation of FredCo Eats' success is driven by businesses and supporters working across Frederick County's food economy,” said Wendy May, Marketing Manager with the Frederick County Economic Development Authority. “The brand is flexible, allowing it to evolve over time and is not tied to one person or partner, allowing new brand champions to plug in at any time.”

“At its core, economic development is about relationships, bringing together partners and resources to create opportunity,” said VEDA President Garrett Hart, Director of Chesterfield County Economic Development. “These award winners exemplify that spirit, showing how collaboration at the local level can drive meaningful results for businesses, residents and entire communities across Virginia.”

Entries are evaluated based on innovativeness, transferability, community commitment and the measurable impact of each project. 

“The CEDA Awards showcase the ingenuity and collaboration happening in communities across Virginia,” said Abigail Patterson, Real Estate Solutions Manager with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Chair of the CEDA Committee. “This year’s recipients demonstrate how thoughtful, community-driven strategies can deliver measurable economic results while strengthening quality of life. Their work continues to raise the bar for economic development across the Commonwealth.”

VEDA is a member-based professional association committed to providing training and development; networking opportunities; and serving as the voice of the economic development community, creating economic opportunity and prosperity for the Commonwealth of Virginia. VEDA's membership is comprised of more than 650 economic development professionals and related industry professionals from across the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information about VEDA visit the website at www.GoVEDA.org.