Updates from the Office of Economic Development

OED Launches New CRM

The Office of Economic Development is rolling out new customer relationship management software to help improve internal and external communication efforts. OED recently invested in InfoFlo, a multi-faceted technology solution to assist OED in improving communication to business owners and building customer relationships. This software will also track projects, tasks, and several other features to allow staff to organize and consolidate information. Staff is currently undergoing training for the platform and plans to be fully implemented by July.

OED Presenting Recovery Roadmap Plan to City Council

OED staff will be presenting their Roadmap to Business Recovery Effort to City Council on June 21^st. The process which began in February 2021 with the engagement of Charlottesville businesses and stakeholders, enabled the Office of Economic Development to establish this written plan with a series of practical initiatives to assist the recovery of the Charlottesville economy. The plan’s purpose is to holistically and thoughtfully assist businesses throughout the City of Charlottesville as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying key local economic development programs to strengthen and sustain the Charlottesville entrepreneurial ecosystem in the next 12-18 months.

The Downtown Job Center Is On The Move

After seven successful years in the central branch of Jefferson Madison Regional Library, the Downtown Job Center will be relocating to CitySpace on the Downtown Mall beginning on June 23^rd. The Job Center has added staff and expanded services to include GO workforce trainings, the Home to Hope peer navigation program, and various other enterprises in addition to aiding job seekers in their employment searches. The move to CitySpace will give the Job Center a larger location to accommodate continued growth of service delivery.

While in the process of moving, the Job Center’s social media, email and telephones will be fully operational to assist clients and employment partners. It is expected that the Job Center will be fully reopened to the public shortly after settling in from the move. The new address will be 100 5^th St. NE Charlottesville, VA 22902. Stay tuned to further updates via the Downtown Job Center Facebook page, which can be followed at www.facebook/com/cvillejobcenter.

The OED would like to thank the JMRL staff and leadership for their steadfast support in establishing this unique municipal service in 2014. Our success would not have been possible without your partnership.

Coalition for Economic Opportunity

CEO is the Coalition for Economic Opportunity. This community organization partners with the City of Charlottesville as well as fiscal agent AIM (the Alliance for Interfaith Ministries), to provide the community with small, low-interest loans through Virginia National Bank. The loans are obtainable through application and all are welcome to apply, however the target audience are low-income households. They typically grant loans for sudden emergencies or simply as a credit builder. They are designed to be an alternative to predatory lenders. To contact CEO, please call 434-260-1895 or email ceocville@gmail.com.

Upcoming Webinars from CVSBDC
CV SBDC is a team of business and technical experts available to listen, advise and assist entrepreneurs, confidentially and free of charge. They offer 1:1 assistance, connection to curated research, access to technical experts and professionals, and timely events and training.

A Grand Reopening Celebration: A Retailer’s Guide to Success -
June 16^th at 8:30 am: PREREGISTER

Success Through e-Commerce – June 16^th at 1:00 pm: PREREGISTER

Starting Your Business – June 24^th at 5 pm: PREREGISTER