STATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

The Abilities Fund
Centerville Office
410 N 18th St
Centerville, IA 52544-1823
Telephone: 641-856-2173
Toll Free: 888-222-8943
Fax: 641-856-3101

Iowa City Office
332 South Linn Street, Suite #17
Iowa City, IA 52240
Telephone: 319-338-2521
Toll Free: 866-720-3863
Fax: 319-338-2528
URL: http://www.abilitiesfund.org/

"This summer The Abilities Fund, together with a national lending partner, will launch a nationwide direct loan program for entrepreneurs with disabilities. In 45 states, loan guarantees will also be available to as a means to secure loans for entrepreneurs. Flexible terms and competitive interest rates for microloans ranging from $500 - $25,000 will be offered.

In support of new microlending services, The Abilities Fund will be expanding its online presence to include training and technical assistance. Soon, people with disabilities nationwide will have 24-hour access to features such as Feasibility First ©, business plan development, and financial planning for business startup -- all of which are resources designed to prepare entrepreneurs with disabilities for self-employment."

Business Development Centre, Inc.
147 Mill Ridge Road, Lynchburg, Virginia 24502
Phone: (804) 582-6100
Fax: (804) 582-6106
E-mail: Rich@lbdc.com
URL: http://www.lbdc.com/

"Business Development Centre, Inc. is an incubator and small business resource center committed to helping small business owners, especially low-to moderate-income individuals, minorities, and females, find the assistance needed to start to grow their businesses."

BusinesStart of People, Inc. of Southwest Virginia
1173 West Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia 24210
Phone: (540) 628-9188
Fax: (540) 628-2931
E-mail: businesstart@naxs.com
URL: http://businesstart.org

"Individual Technical Assistance is a key component of the BusinesStart program. Business Development Managers provide business counseling before and after loan approval. Experienced staff can help entrepreneurs develop their business idea into a written business plan."

Community Business Partnership
6911 Richmond Hwy, Suite 290 , Alexandria, Va 22306
Phone: (703) 768-1440
Fax: (703) 768-0547
URL: http://www.cbponline.org/

"The Micro- Loan Program is a targeted effort of the Finance Center to provide direct and guaranteed loans to benefit low- moderate individuals located in Fairfax County. Direct loans from $3,500.00 to $25,000.00 can be provided to qualifying applicants."

Giles County Incubator
211 Main Street, Suite 109
Narrows, VA 24124
Phone: (540) 726-3888
Fax: (540) 726-7119
E-mail: ahines@gva.net
URL: http://www.nrvdc.org/nrvin.html

"The Giles Business Incubator is a business resource center committed to the growth and development of beginning businesses in Giles, Monroe, and surrounding counties. Owned by the town of Narrows, the Giles Business Incubator intends to support small business entrepreneurs in Giles County. Narrows has worked closely with the New River Valley Planning District Commission and the New River Valley Development Corporation to coordinate the Giles Business Incubator with the Competitiveness Center. The Giles Business Incubator is located in a designated Enterprise Zone. This designation offers numerous benefits for a business (i.e. job grants, BPOL tax rate reduction, and local sales tax refunds). Business support services from across the region will work with the Giles Business Incubator to ensure the long-term success of its tenants. Financial support for the Giles Business Incubator came from Community Development Block Grants, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the Town of Narrows, local and regional businesses, and individuals."

The Highland Center
P.O. Box 556, Monterey, VA 24465
Phone: (540) 468-1922
E-mail: highcent@cfw.com
URL: http://www.thehighlandcenter.org/

"The Highland Center is a non-profit organization that provides financial/accounting information, legal services, networking, help with Access to Loan Funds, and marketing."

The Mason Enterprise Center
George Mason University
33 Central Modular Building, MS 3C6
Phone: (703) 993-2268
Fax: (703) 993-1574
E-mail: rstough@gmu.edu
URL: http://www.masonenterprisecenter.org/

"The Mason Enterprise Center applies the research and teachings of the School of Public Policy by helping to stimulate the economy of the National Capital Region. The center offers expert consultation and training to help entrepreneurs in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area start or grow their businesses. Training programs include:

• Technology Resource Alliance
• Small Business Development Center
• Business Mentor Protg Program
• Procurement Technical Assistance Program
• Telework and Training Center
• Business Enterprise Center (a business incubator)

The Mason Enterprise Center generates about $6 million in revenues annually from customers that include multinational firms, state, local, and foreign agencies."

New River Valley Competitiveness Center
6580 Valley Center Drive, Radford, VA 24141
Phone: (540) 633-6730
Fax: (540) 633-6768
E-mail: wayne@nrvdc.org
URL: http://www.nrvdc.org/nrvcc.html

"The New River Valley Competitiveness Center is a 31,081 square foot facility designed as a "gateway" to the New River Valley and an example of innovative planning to incorporate a mix of uses. Developed by the New River Valley Development Corporation , the Center is part of an effort to enhance opportunities for businesses within the New River Valley. It serves as an initial seeding location for entrepreneurs and manufacturing/industrial companies wishing to expand."

Northern Neck Planning District Commission
Post Office Box 1600
Warsaw, Virginia 22572
Phone: (804) 333-1900
Fax: (804) 333-5274
E-mail: MICROENTERPRISE@NNPDC17.STATE.VA.US
URL: http://www.NNPDC17.STATE.VA.US/

People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia
1173 West Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia 24210
Phone: (540) 623-9000
Fax: (540) 628-9000
URL: http://www.businesstart.org/

"People, Incorporated of Southwest Virgnia is the designated community action agency for four counties and one city in Central Appalachia: Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, and Washington Counties, and the City of Bristol, Virginia. Whenever possible, our programs serve people throughout this region. A few of our programs serve people living in neighboring counties and cities."

Pioneer Center for Business
4907 Boone Trail Road, P.O. Box 408, Duffield, VA 24244
Phone: (540) 431-7226
Fax: (540) 431-7329
E-mail: info@pcbo.org
URL: http://www.pcbo.org/

"A business incubator assists new and developing entrepreneurial companies by providing a nurturing early-stage environment, with flexible leases at affordable rates, plus business services such as fax/copying, conference areas, clerical support, management/technical support."

Total Action Against Poverty/MicroEnterpise Loan Program
THIS VALLEY WORKS
SW145 Campbell Avenue, P.O. Box 2868, Roanoke, VA 24001-2868
Phone: (540) 982-3859 ext. 4391, 4400, 4387
Fax: (540) 343-8544
URL: http://www.taproanoke.org/

"To assist entrepreneurs to establish and maintain their businesses through evaluation, research, development and implementation of a business plan."

Virginia Department of Business Assistance
707 E. Main Street, Suite 300, Richmond, Virginia 23219
P.O. Box 446, Richmond, Virginia 23218-0446
Phone: (804) 371-8200
Fax: (804) 371-8111
URL: http://www.dba.state.va.us/

"The DBA offers four (4) major program areas for business and industry. These are Existing Industry and Business Services: (Expansion and Retention); Workforce Services: (Training and Retraining); Financial Services: (Loans and Financial Assistance); Small Business Services: (Counseling and Guidance)."

• Virginia Small Business Financing Authority Financing Options
  URL: http://www.dba.state.va.us/financing/crd/search.asp
• Disabled Entrepreneurs
  URL: http://www.dba.state.va.us/services/default.asp?SECTION_ID=129
  

Virginia Enterprise Initiative/The Jackson Center
501 North Second Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219-1321
Phone: (804) 371-7000
E-mail: VEI@dhcd.state.va.us
URL: http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/CD/VEI/default.htm

"The Virginia Enterprise Initiative Program (VEI) is a state program designed to help entrepreneurs obtain the assistance and capital to start a small business in Virginia. Committed to providing resources to organizations that assist entrepreneurs and small businesses obtain technical assistance and capital to start a business, VEI provides grants to be used to cover operating costs, administration, and loan loss reserve. Grants have ranged between $50,000 and $70,000."

Virginia Guide to Establishing a Business (2006-2007) (PDF File; 47 Pages)
URL: http://www.yesvirginia.org/pdf/guides/EstablishingBusiness.pdf

Virginia Microenterprise Network
PO Box 2303, Richmond, VA 24210-2303
Phone: (276) 619-5500
E-mail: vmnrichmongd@erols.com
URL: http://www.businesstart.org/VMN.htm

"The Virginia Microenterprise Network (VMN) is a statewide membership organization comprised of microenterprise practitioners, banking partners, community and economic development professionals, state agency representatives, and others with an interest in fostering economic independence through microbusiness development. VMN is dedicated to the development of community-based microenterprise programs, which have assessed the critical needs of their community, see opportunities for very small business development and are building community partnerships to implement strategies to serve women, minorities, low-income individuals, and others who cannot access traditional capital markets."

VIRGINIA SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR GRANT PROGRAM
URL: http://www.dba.state.va.us/smdev/sbincubator.asp

"One of the more popular techniques to help entrepreneurs and start-up business firms survive their early years and grow and prosper in the community is the small business incubator. The small business incubator is a physical facility, which provides various sizes of offices or office suite, warehousing and manufacturing space, common loading docks, shared board/meeting space, kitchen facilities and a common reception area. The incubator provides a receptionist to greet visitors and to assist tenants in using a shared copier, fax, and audio-visual equipment and often times computers. The incubator manager assists tenants in preparing business plans, securing financing, business counseling and management advising. Tenants are expected to graduate from the incubator within a reasonable time frame to allow others to use the service. The incubator recoups costs by charging reasonable lease rates and fees and charges for the use of specialized services and equipment."

Worksupport.Com
VCU-RRTC, 1314 West Main Street, P.O. Box 842011, Richmond, VA 23284-2011
Voice: (804) 828-1851
Fax: (804) 828-2193
TTY: (804) 828-2494
URL: http://www.worksupport.com/

"The purpose of this center is to identify factors that enhance or inhibit businesses from tapping into a pool of potential employees. Let us be your gateway to information, resources, and services regarding the employment of people with disabilities."