From the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center
August 16, 2022
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Saying farewell to a valued partner. |
Dear friends and colleagues,
On Friday, our first ever full-time business advisor and valued team member, Greg Dorazio said his goodbyes to the CIC/SBDC family. In April of 2020, Greg rolled up his sleeves to help Central Virginia SBDC respond to the needs of hundreds of business owners. He continued to offer his talent and support to help your SBDC reinvent and serve in an unprecedented capacity.
Greg's passion for journalism and his own growing business created the mix that convinced him to leave SBDC as he joins the team at 'The Central Virginian' and spends more time supporting his growing business, Dorazio Communications. Greg has given us so much. If you see him, please wish him well in his new adventures.
And speaking of human resources, we practice what we teach in providing an inclusive, supportive, leadership-oriented work environment at Community Investment Collaborative, the host of CV SBDC. If you or someone you know is an experienced business professional seeking a rewarding role with our collaborative team, please refer them to our jobs page.
Finally, August is a month when we only send our newsletter once, so we've accumulated valuable information. We encourage you to set aside 5 minutes to review what follows (don't forget to click "view entire message" at the bottom to be sure you don't miss anything) in case the information or resources can benefit your business or others in your network.
If you are a client or a community partner, we appreciate your partnership. We do ask for a little grace in the coming weeks as we are "a man down" and are working through vacations and the hiring process.
Wishing you all the very best,
Rebecca and your SBDC team
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Virginia SBDC Small Business
Veteran of the Year Award
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Nominations for the Virginia SBDC Small Business Veteran of the Year Award are open!
This award recognizes veterans who have made a significant contribution to the economy through ownership of a Virginia small business and have made a significant difference in their communities by promoting a sense of duty, and volunteerism. Following are the qualifications and a link to the online application portal. Applications must be submitted on or before September 19, 2022. Should you have any questions please email [email protected].
Eligibility Guidelines:
Any Veteran Who:
- Possesses a DD214 (copy to be included in the application)
- Currently owns at least 51% of a Virginia-based business
- Has owned the business for at least one year
- Is living in Virginia at the time of their nomination and award
- Is not a past winner of the Veteran Small Business of the Year Award
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SAM (System of Award Management) is the official U.S. government system for contract opportunities and contract data. In April, the DUNS number was dropped and replaced with a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). The changes migrated business and owner verification from Dun and Bradstreet to the Federal Service Desk (FSD). In May, the FSD began requiring all entities to reset their MPINs. These changes have not been painless, but we do have some guidance and tips to help you through these processes.
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Create Virginia is an arts and business conference that gives artists and makers opportunities to learn from one another and from state and national experts about how to build and grow sustainable arts-based ventures.
Hybrid events taking place August 24 - September 10.
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SBA's Covid 19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) |
Were you approved for an EIDL, but may not have received funding? There remain over 125,000 requests that had been approved for funding but have not completed the required documentation to receive the proceeds.
Please check your email (spam & junk) to see if you have been approved for funding but needed to provide specific information (typically account information, etc.) to receive the funds. This will only apply if you have received an email from the SBA that your application has/had been approved for funding.
Questions regarding Covid EIDL loans can now be directed to the Birmingham, AL servicing center:
Disaster Loan Servicing Center
2 North 20th St, Suite 320
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: 800-736-6048
To date, the SBA has not provided any details on whether there is a "master list" of approved/unfunded loans.
Greg McFetridge, CV SBDC Access to Capital Advisor
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"A Closer Look" from the IRS on filing deadlines |
Doug O’Donnell, IRS Deputy Commissioner, Services & Enforcement, encourages taxpayers not to wait to file their tax returns.
"This year, there are special factors at play that make it even more important for people to make sure they don’t wait to file until the last minute before the Oct. 17 deadline and that, to the extent possible, they file electronically. Every year, millions of people need more time to file their taxes and many focus their attention on the mid-October filing extension deadline,” said O’Donnell.
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City of Charlottesville businesses: The Charlottesville Office of Economic Development is excited to offer a fourth round of the Building Resilience Among Charlottesville Entrepreneurs (BRACE) Grant. This program is a matching, reimbursable grant of up to $2,500 (for new recipients) or $1,250 (for previous recipients) to help offset qualifying expenses incurred by City businesses. The business is required to provide a 30% match for the City’s contribution. The applicant must be for-profit business or a non-profit organization that is focused on hospitality, tourism, or supporting economic development/business causes. Businesses must be located inside the City limits.
Applications will be accepted from August 15, 2022 at 9:00 AM until
September 2, 2022 at 5:00 PM.
Expenses incurred between May 1, 2022 and September 2, 2022 are eligible.
Interested businesses can learn more and apply here.
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Comcast RISE, a multi-year commitment to provide marketing, creative, media, and technology services to small businesses owned by people of color or women.
You are eligible to apply for this program if your business:
- Is at least 51% owned and operated by someone who identifies as person of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, or a woman
- Is independently owned and operated; and not a franchise location
- Is registered to conduct business in the US
- Has been operating for one or more years
- Is located within the Comcast Business or Effectv service area footprint
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VTC Microbusiness Marketing Leverage Program |
The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) is offering a Microbusiness Marketing Leverage grant, providing 1:1 matching funds up to $5,000. This grant is aimed at tourism-related businesses with 20 or fewer full-time equivalent employees, including boutique retail, restaurants, food trucks, small attractions, craft breweries, distilleries, wineries, boutique lodging and B&Bs, and events focused on shoulder season visitation. Applicants must provide a targeted, research-based marketing plan that demonstrates how they will use the grant money to fulfill the purposes of the program.
Applications due September 20
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Quad Business Summit and
QuadTank Pitch Competition
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All are welcome to attend: The 7th annual Quad Business Summit will bring together businesses from the counties of Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange, and others from Central Virginia for a half-day of networking opportunities.
The Summit will include Kelli Palmer, Chief Diversity Officer at Willow Tree, as the keynote speaker discussing winning in talent attraction and retention. The event also features a local business owner panel discussion with Q&A, and the Annual QuadTank Pitch Competition.
Companies from the 5 counties are encouraged to apply for the pitch competition - winner takes all is currently $6,500 (incoming sponsorships increase the grand prize.)
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Enter to compete in the fourth annual QuadTank Pitch Competition – an exciting addition to the Quad Business Summit. The winning individual or team this year will be awarded a $6,500 minimum cash prize to support implementation of their business plans. At the end of the Quad County Business Summit, the winner will be chosen by a panel of judges.
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Pitch Preview
September 1 | 12:00 - 2:00pm
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Virginia early-stage innovative entrepreneurs: Charlottesville Angel Network (CAN) and Virginia Small Business Development Center (VSBDC) have joined forces to help you polish your pitch presentation.
Deadline to apply: August 22, midnight
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Government Contracting: Finding Opportunities
HYBRID EVENT
online or in person at the Central Virginia SBDC office
(300 Preston Ave, Charlottesville - free parking on-site)
September 6 | 10:00 - 11:30 AM
If you are considering the Federal Marketplace for your business, your first steps are to complete your registration in both the System of Award Management (SAM) and the Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS).
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Founders' Education Series
Are you ready to prepare for launch with confidence or evaluate an existing business? The Founders' Series is a 5-week series to prepare a solid foundation to start or expand.
Presented online via Zoom from 10:00am - 12:00pm
We encourage taking the session in order to complete an optional
Entrepreneurship Certificate. More information can be found here.
There is a $5 administrative fee for each session of the Founder's Series. Email [email protected] for more information.
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Starting Your Business
Thinking about starting a small business?
Have you started…but maybe missed some critical information?
This workshop is for you!
In this workshop, we review the steps for a successful start, the registrations and regulations, and the components of sound business planning and financial projections. This workshop is offered twice monthly.
Sept 13 | 10:00am - 12:00pm
Sept 29 | 6:00 - 8:00pm
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Fluvanna: Writing Your Business Plan - New and Existing Businesses
IN PERSON EVENT
Fluvanna County Library, 214 Commons Blvd, Palmyra (free parking onsite)
August 130| 8:30 - 10:00 AM
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Using a business plan to start or expand your business
Does your business plan need work? Do you not have a business plan yet? Join us to learn the ins and outs of writing a business plan.
Rebecca has been advising and mentoring companies for 30 years and is a financial and marketing strategist that gets fully energized when she hears “I want to start a business” or “I want to grow my business.” Rebecca will talk about the tips and tools that successful entrepreneurs have in common and how to fit those into a fulfilling personal and business life. She will go over these tools and is available to chat in a group setting and confidentially, one-on-one.
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Cohosted by Fluvanna County, VA Economic Development Authority,
Fluvanna County Chamber of Commerce, and Fluvanna Economic Development
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Culpeper: Build Your Social Media Plan
IN PERSON EVENT
803 S Main St, Culpeper - free parking on-site
September 12 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
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Social media can help you build stronger relationships with your customers and even meet new ones. But success on social isn't magic. It takes consistent effort with a good strategy.
Presented by Greg Dorazio
In person one-on-one appointments with Greg will be available for Culpeper County clients after the event. Contact Mesa at [email protected] or
434-295-8198 to schedule an appointment.
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Financial Management Program |
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Need help managing your finances as a small business owner? Look into applying for our Financial Management Program, which offers you the opportunity to learn recordkeeping and financial management skills.
For more information, connect with Shannon or our newest team member and first FMP coordinator, Nick Campero!
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Happening in the Community |
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September is Charlottesville City Minority Business Month! |
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Louisa Biz Expo 2022
Sept 15 | 4:00 - 7:00pm
IN-PERSON: at Fifty-Third Winery and Vineyards
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Come Connect! The Louisa County Chamber of Commerce and Blue Ridge Bank would like to invite you to participate in the Louisa Biz Expo, a business-to-business expo providing exhibitors the opportunity to showcase their services and connect with potential clients, partners, or referral networks.
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Sept 20 | 8:00 - 10:00am
HYBRID event: In-person at Irving Theater at the CODE Building, 225 W Water St or online via Zoom
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Get inspired
Meet fellow entrepreneurs
Share lessons learned
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Charlottesville main office phone: 434-295-8198 | Culpeper direct phone: 540-727-0638
Culpeper office: 803 South Main Street, Culpeper, VA 22701
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