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Place Description: These AFID Planning Grants give local governments the flexibility to undertake the kind of planning, study, or local initiative they think best to grow and support agriculture and forestry-based businesses in their community and region.  The planning grant program also provides a greater voice in local economic development to agriculture and forestry stakeholders by requiring that any grant funded program be implemented by a board, committee or working group representing agriculture and/or forestry interests in the affected locality.  For additional information about the program and the application workshops, e-mail Stephen Versen, AFID program contact at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) at stephen.versen@vdacs.virginia.gov. Links: Application

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Place Description: The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides free and confidential one-on-one counseling as well as business education opportunities and resources to help entrepreneurs, small business owners and managers improve their business. Many of the Virginia Small Business Development Centers are located at colleges across the commonwealth. Each site has trained counselors to assist entrepreneurs in starting and managing a business. Services available consist of management training, research data, business plan, financial analysis and etc. The mission of the SBDC is to foster small business success and grow Southwest Virginia’s economy.

• Blue Ridge Crossroads
• Southwest Community College SBDC
• Mountain Empire Community College SBDC
• Roanoke Regional SBDC
• Virginia Small Business Development Center

Place Description: Mplans offers a variety of information regarding all marketing aspects. The website has free sample marketing plans, how to articles, marketing plan outline and etc.

Place Description: Dropbox provides free storage and sharing capabilities for all of your documents, photos and videos. Click the image to go to Dropbox!  Links: Dropbox Help Center Dropbox User Guide

Place Description: Bplans provides a wealth of information on how to prepare a business plan. The website has free templates, sample business plans, outlines, and etc. This is a great resource to use in conjunction with your Small Business Development Counselor. Templates

• Pitch Deck Venture Capital Template provides assistance on composing a meaningful and successful presentation regarding your business venture.
• Cash Flow Template
• Strategic Plan Outline

Place Description: The One Stop Virginia Department of Business Assistance works with existing businesses to foster growth and prosperity and assisting entrepreneurs in forming a lucrative business. They host a variety of educational events throughout the Commonwealth weekly. Topics range from selling to the state, social media, mobile marketing & eCommerce, iPad for business, accessing capital, and other business resources.

Place Description: The Virginia Employment Commission website provides accurate information regarding unemployment insurance.

Place Description: The Virginia Workers Compensation website is a great resource for workers compensation information.

Place Description: For information regarding human resources, visit the Virginia Employment Commission website.

Place Description: VT KnowledgeWorks encourages and enables creative entrepreneurship worldwide, through innovative curriculum, local business resource centers, and a global network of cooperating regions, all focused on three essential contributors to success: clear understanding of fundamental business principles; access to timely, relevant information; and meaningful personal and corporate relationships. It is a subsidiary of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, supported by the continuing confidence and enthusiasm of its clients, sponsors and friends, both corporate and individual. Its world headquarters is in Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.

Place Description: Virginia Tourism Corporation Partnership Alliance Marketing is focused on increasing visitor spending in Virginia through uniting Virginia’s tourism community of small businesses, attractions, corporations, associations and agencies. They focus on the extra-ordinary, never being satisfied with mediocrity when it comes to serving Virginia communities and representing the Commonwealth of Virginia. Partnership Marketing is working closely with communities throughout Virginia to 1) Listen 2) Support and 3) Get work accomplished through marketing, education and product development.

Place Description: Virginia Community Capital (VCC) is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with a mission to create jobs, energize places, and promote an enhanced quality of life for Virginians. With offices in Christiansburg, Richmond, and Norfolk, we offer innovative and flexible financing tools throughout the state. In addition, we provide professional advisory services to individuals and organizations in low-to-moderate income and underserved communities. Sandy Ratliff is the Community Impact Advisor with Virginia Community Capital providing technical assistance, professional training and access to capital to new and existing businesses through VCC’s New Economy Loan Fund for projects in coal-impacted counties in within Southwest Virginia. Her 27 years’ experience in economic and small business development, make her the go to person for business and community leaders. Contact her at (276) 477-3999 or sratliff@vccva.org

Place Description: Resource Navigator Website

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Place Description: SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship. We have been doing this for nearly fifty years. Because our work is supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and thanks to our network of 12,000+ volunteers, we are able to deliver our services at no charge or at very low cost.

Place Description: People Incorporated of Virginia is one of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s largest and most successful Community Action Agencies. People Incorporated offers over 32 programs designed to, “give people a hand up, not a hand out.” People Incorporated Financial Services offers loans, development services and financial products to small and emerging businesses. People Incorporated Financial Services works to strengthen local economies in 22-jurisdiction service areas including the counties of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe and the cities of Bristol, Galax and Norton in Southwest Virginia and the counties of Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren in the Northern Shenandoah Valley.