2022 Highlights

Since its inception, GO Cook has had 13 classes graduate with nearly 70 participants who have made their way into the culinary workforce industry. The program’s Core Competencies include Integrity, SelfDiscipline, Time management, Communication and Adaptability—life skills that can be utilized in any field. The GO Cook Program is helping to make a difference in both the City’s jobseekers and food and beverage business industry by ensuring a skilled workforce remains available, viable and competitive.

New initiatives to expand Tech Workforce

Technology is the future, and Virginia is taking steps to ensure the state is ready to meet the demand by building a skilled and diverse talent pipeline for higher-paying jobs in the technology fields. Locally, one such initiative, TechLink Central, was developed by the Central Virginia Partnership for Economic Development (CVPED) and is partially funded by GO Virginia Region 9. It’s devised to forge relationships between regional employers needing tech labor and current and recent graduates of UVA and local community colleges looking to start their careers. Its purpose is to encourage graduates in the tech industry to remain living and working in the region. TechLink provides greater visibility for entry-level tech jobs and shares insights into regional companies, careers, and quality of life

Central Virginia offers its workforce. A dedicated website and staff help connect the employers with the students, customizing each of their needs to ensure a good fit for both. The initiative seeks to create or fill 55 jobs in the span of three years.

Business Equity Fund (BEF) Loan Impact

Beyond the region, the Commonwealth of Virginia, donors, and corporate partners are investing more than $2 billion to expand Virginia’s tech talent pipeline through an initiative called the Innovative Tech Talent Investment Program. Several colleges and universities throughout Virginia will be collaborating on the initiative that seeks to double the number of graduates each year in computer science and closely related fields.

Technology businesses relocating or expanding into Virginia join world-class tech leaders like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Facebook, as well as companies in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), FinTech, Manufacturing Tech, and Software-as-aService (SaaS). According to CyberSeek, Virginia is also home to the second largest cybersecurity sector in the country. Together these two Tech programs will ensure Virginia creates and sustains a healthy, robust economic environment where Virginians can live, study, work and play all in their own backyard.

The City of Charlottesville Business Equity Fund (BEF) is a loan program for existing City businesses that are owned by individuals who are considered socially disadvantaged (i.e., those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias because of their identity as members of a group). The BEF, administered in partnership with the Community Investment Collaborative (CIC), lowers eligibility criteria typically experienced in traditional banking scenarios and offers a subsidized interest rate that is well below the market rate (up to 3%).

SEPT 13

Starting Your Business

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Online Workshop

SEPT 15

Fem Founder Financing

1:00 - 2:30 PM

Northside Library, 705 Rio Rd W

Hybrid

SEPT 24

Black Business Expo

Minority Business Month kicked off in style at the Minority Business Alliance 10th Anniversary Gala at The Club at Glenmore. The month-long series of events, sponsored by OED and its Minority Business Program, was held in September and celebrated business diversity in the Charlottesville community. Events included several entrepreneur workshops, Black Business Expo, and a resource fair.

10:00 AM - 7:00 PM

IX Art Park, 522 2nd St SE

Minority Business Month was open to all local businesses, as well as allies of small, women-, and minorityowned businesses. This was a great opportunity to network and meet members of the business community.

SEPT 28

Resource Fair

12:00 - 4:00 PM

City Space, 100 5th St NE

During the Minority Business Alliance Gala, ten business owners were awarded a total of $50,000 in grant funding provided by the United Way of Greater Charlottesville and Minority Business Alliance of the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.

SEPT 29

Starting Your Business

6:00 - 8:00 PM

Online Workshop

Minority Business Month was made possible with support from: Sponsored By

The Minority Business Program partnered with Community Investment Collaborative to host the Fall 2022 Resource Fair on September 28, 2022.

The Resource Fair is a reoccurring event held each Fall that is organized for local small business owners to receive complementary services provided by industry experts

Free consultations were provided to over 16 businesses in attendance in areas such as accounting, SWAM certification, business insurance, human resources, patent law, marketing, and business productivity.

For more information, visit: www.cvilleminoritybusinessprogram.org

Thanks to all those who participated throughout the month. See you next year!

GO Start-Up 2022

The GO Start-Up program is an entry-level program for entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses. The Minority Business Program’s GO Start-Up 2022 classes have been redesigned into a two-week workshop. Participants had the opportunity to test a business concept through hands-on project development and management skills in a low-risk environment. The program emphasized the importance of self-organization and goal setting as critical components of business ownership. Participants of the program were able to learn new and challenging concepts that come with starting a business in a fast-paced environment.

The workshop involved completing assignments on varying topics: business licensing, product development, start-up cost estimates, marketing strategy, product/service evaluation, and more. Fifteen participants completed the GO Start-Up Program in 2022. City of Charlottesville residents that successfully complete the class and all assignments qualify for a mini grant to assist with their business. These funds can be used for such expenses as licensing, website development, business cards, and more.

GO Start-Up 2022 Participants

Norman Grooms

Marlene Thompson

Tenise Gibson

Nicole Cobbs

Chereka Porter

Alexis Hill

Dodzi Zaney

Wilma Dove