OED Fun Fact
Today (September 29th) is National Coffee day. While the US does not produce any coffee, it consumes the most of any nation in the world! The coffee tree has origins in Ethiopia but Brazil leads the way with over 5 million pounds of coffee beans exported every year. Visit a Charlottesville coffee shop today and join the celebration.
GO Start-Up Application - Deadline Extension
GO Start-Up is an entry-level program for entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses. Participants will have the opportunity to test a business concept through hands-on project development and management skills in a low-risk environment. The program puts an emphasis on participant self-organization and goal setting as critical components of business ownership. Participants of the program should be willing to learn new and challenging concepts that come with starting a business in a fast-paced environment. Click here to apply. Deadline extended to October 6th at 4:00PM.
Charlottesville OED Staff Visits City of Norfolk
The Charlottesville OED team recently visited the City of Norfolk to meet with members of their Economic Development Team. Staff from both teams shared tips, best practices, and business assistance methods used in their respective localities. Despite the size difference, Norfolk and Charlottesville share some similarities, including a major university, a sizeable military presence, and the large number of scientific/biotech companies. Charlottesville OED would like to thank Norfolk for their generosity and hospitality during our visit!
BRACE 4.0 Grant Wraps Up
The Office of Economic Development has completed its fourth round of the BRACE grant. The grant funds were intended to help small businesses that have adapted their business operations to offset the difficulties incurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program received 86 applications totaling over $550,000 in business expenses incurred during the application period. After a thorough review, OED awarded 85 grants to small businesses and organizations that met the guidelines. These grants ranged from $500 to the full $2,000, ultimately resulting in approximately $93,000 in grant funds being dispersed, with approximately 39% of the grantees being first-time recipients.
Small Business Owners Credit Survey
OED is encouraging city business owners and key financial decision makers of for-profit businesses to share their recent experiences. Did your business seek financing such as loans or lines of credit in the last 12 months? How would you rate the financial condition of your business?
The Virginia SBDC Network is partnering with the Federal Reserve to conduct a Small Business Credit Survey. By taking the survey, you contribute to data that directly informs the Fed, federal government agencies, service providers, policymakers, and others—ultimately benefitting your business and other businesses like yours. Take the 10-minute survey now.
The survey is open to businesses currently in operation, those recently closed, and those about to launch. All responses are confidential. The survey closes November 4, 2022.
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.
Marketing Monday: Grow your Business with Digital Marketing – October 3
rd at 12:00 pm
PREREGISTER
Government Contracting: 8(a) – October 4
th at 10:00 am
PREREGISTER
Get Your Local Business on Google Search and Maps – October 11
th at 12:00 PM
PREREGISTER