Do you own a business and wish you knew more about the basics, from business planning and entity formation to insurance, marketing, financials, and more? The spring Entrepreneurship Accelerator is for owners within a year of opening or established businesses who are looking to grow into their next phase. Application for our free 12-week cohort is now live! Class size is limited and seats usually fill up fast—apply today!

This program can help you fill in the blanks and continue your growth toward business success. The class is a mix between in-person and hybrid with an opportunity to pitch your business during our final two in-person meetings. Classes meet at the Franklin County CDC's Venture Center, 324 Wells Street, Greenfield, and on Zoom, on Wednesdays, 5 to 7 p.m., starting March 18.

Pictured below: participants in the Fall 2025 Entrepreneurship Accelerator

Join our PVGrows Investment Fund information session on January 21, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. to learn more. Register here.

This January, you can resolve to make a difference in your local food system as an investor in the PVGrows Investment Fund! For a minimum investment of $500, you can help support the farms and food businesses that feed our communities. It's different than a donation: your money earns up to 2% in this fund, which lends at affordable rates to farms and food businesses. We've already raised $2.5 million toward our $5 million goal. That $2.5 million has been revolved three times! This is a way to keep your money flowing locally while helping support local farmers!

Cristina Marcalow rented studio space in the Venture Center this fall to create the upcycled cashmere neck warmer business Anu. We spoke to her about what it means to build a business with a sustainable foundation, how she sources knitwear, and the performance and beautiful look of each unique garment. The following is a condensed version of our conversation. Read the full interview online.

What brought you to this business idea? Were you focused on the sustainable part from the start? Is that the driving force?

I started Anu out of a desire to build a business I truly believed in—one that could have a clear, positive impact on both customers and the broader economy. Both of my parents died young of cancer, which led me to think deeply about the toxins we’re all exposed to through modern American lifestyles, and about small but meaningful ways we can reduce that exposure. At the same time, I was thinking about my two young children and what it means to help build a more honest, ethical world for them to grow into.

Humans have been reaching mountaintops and surviving extreme conditions in natural fibers for millennia. People were doing incredibly hard, daring things in brutal environments long before plastic garments existed. I have a rebellious streak, and I love questioning the modern assumption that performance requires synthetics. This work feels like the good trouble I’m meant to get up to in this life.

How has it been renting space at the Franklin County CDC’s Venture Center?

The Venture Center has been a phenomenal place to grow Anu. It feels like stepping into a community where people genuinely support one another. The energy in the building is positive and focused, and it’s been an incredible environment to show up consistently and do the work of building something from the ground up.

You’re also an alum of the Entrepreneurship Accelerator. What did you take away from that experience?

The Entrepreneurship Accelerator is a valuable resource for anyone exploring the idea of starting a business. The curriculum covers many of the practical realities entrepreneurs need to consider early on. The CDC is an incredible resource for practical resources, business guidance, and not least important: encouragement! For me, one of the most meaningful aspects was connecting with other participants. Starting a business can be a lonely path, and having a cohort of people navigating similar challenges was both grounding and energizing.

The Franklin County CDC is the fiscal sponsor of several community groups, including Greening Greenfield, which has some good news to share! Two partnerships between the group and local schools have restarted. The programs aim to teach students the basics of growing their own food and emphasize reducing schools' cafeteria waste. 

The Greenfield Middle School Garden Club, after a year's hiatus, is now meeting weekly under the new leadership of school Guidance Counselor Shona McMorrow, assisted by the club's former advisor, teacher Elizabeth Erickson. Yes, it's snowy out, but the middle school has a greenhouse tucked inside! 

Greening Greenfield is also working with Greenfield High School to re-start composting in the cafeteria, in a program they hope to bring to all schools in the district. This much-acclaimed program ran successfully for four years and was halted during the pandemic. Amy Donovan of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District provided initial re-instruction and logistical support, and members of the Sustainability Club and Key Club are expected to assist as lunch monitors. Greening Greenfield thanks the administration, School Committee, and all involved parties! Details for both initiatives can be found on their website.

Living Local and Common Capital brought together business owners and those who support them across all four counties of western Massachusetts at their Entrepreneurial Spotlight in Springfield last week. Inspiring networking and programming followed. The event included a panel hosted by Boston Impact Initiative (BII)'s Shavon Prophet. Mayrena Guerrero of Franklin County CDC lending client Colorful Resilience, which provides mental healthcare for and by BIPOC and queer people and their allies, spoke about their approach to work-life balance with a 32-hour work week and mentoring for interns. Emily Kawano talked about her organization Wellspring Cooperative, which provides resources for worker-owned coops, including Wellspring Harvest Coop, a PVGrows Investment Fund and Massachusetts Food Trust client. She talked about the difference between being an employee and a worker-owner and how important it is to educate the community about coops. Jamie Santiago of Florrent, a maker of supercapacitators (powerful batteries), described how their product is fueled by agricultural waste, in this case, pecan shells from the southern United States. BII invests in mainly minority-owned businesses throughout the Commonwealth.

We received an unprecedented level of support this year and we are extremely grateful for it! Between federal funding cuts and an increased demand for services, this outpouring was not only appreciated, it was necessary.

If you gave in 2025, thank you! If not, it's never too late! Make a donation now to support small business development in the region by making a secure gift to the Franklin County CDC. If you give $1,000 or more, you may receive half back as a tax credit through the Community Investment Tax Credit program.

Check out one of our free virtual information sessions to Get Started at the FCCDC! Find all our information sessions on our website at fccdc.org/get-started.

Our Grow Your Business session welcomes businesses of all types at any stage. Zoom with an expert who has worked with hundreds of businesses over the years and can answer questions and offer resources. This is a great way to get started with the Franklin County CDC. Join us on the first Monday of the month at 11 a.m. Sign up. Upcoming session is on February 2.

Are you dreaming of launching a packaged food product? Are you a farmer looking to turn your harvest into a value-added food product, but not sure where to begin? We can help! Zoom with a food product expert from the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center to begin a conversation about your food product idea. Discussion topics will include product development, shelf life, packaging, labeling, food safety, regulatory compliance, manufacturing, and distribution. Additionally, we have flexible financing available for farm and food entrepreneurs using locally grown ingredients. Join us on the third Tuesday of the month at 10am to learn more! Sign up here. Upcoming session is on January 20.

Learn how some common words and expressions in use today have origins in slavery and racism. We'll talk about how to recognize these words and what to do when you hear them said by others. By understanding the resonance and eliminating these phrases, we can foster environments where everyone feels welcome.

Join us bimonthly (February, April, June, August, October, December) on the third Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m. to learn more. Sign up here. Upcoming session is on February 18.

Workshops

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)

CISA has a great lineup of workshops for farmers coming up this winter/spring! From hiring to team building and resolving conflict on the farm, check them out here.

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV)

BAV presents a free virtual workshop for farmers and market managers interested in using Point of Sale (POS) data to increase daily sales and make more informed decisions at farmers markets. Register here.

Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 1–2:30 p.m. on Zoom.

Grants

U.S.D.A Rural Development

The Value-Added Producer Grant applications open tomorrow, January 15. The program helps U.S. agricultural producers enter into value-added activities that generate new products from raw agricultural commodities, create and expand marketing opportunities, or increase producer income through enhanced product value and market reach. Find out more online.

Thanks for reading!

Franklin County CDC | 324 Wells Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 | 413-774-7204