Do you need support for your business or nonprofit? Below are resources serving Highland County. Most offer their services for free. Whether you are starting out or expanding, searching for grants, or increasing your marketing, we encourage you to take advantage!
Local Resources Based in Highland County
Highland County Chamber of Commerce: We strive to lift up local businesses and entrepreneurs, promote Highland County, and champion economic prosperity and quality of life. Investing in Membership with the Chamber is a one of the most affordable steps you can take to add visibility and credibility to your organization while also supporting the local economy. Learn more about current benefits and apply online using the link below.
https://highlandcounty.org/why-join-the-chamber/
The Highland Center: With telework space to rent, conference rooms, commercial kitchen, auditorium, and programs to support the community, the mission of The Highland Center is to serve all citizens of Highland County by being a catalyst for cultural and economic development.
https://thehighlandcenter.org/
Highland Economic Development Authority (EDA): The Highland EDA provides an annual Grant Incentive Program to encourage the growth and success of small businesses located in Highland County. The program goals are to encourage entrepreneurship, provide new job opportunities for local residents, and increase the commercial tax base in our region.
https://www.highlandcounty.org/highland-eda/
Highland Tourism Council: Their annual Marketing Assistance Grant Program - now held once in the fall and once in the spring - provides the opportunity for local organizations to receive funds to stimulate new tourism initiatives or assist in the growth of existing programs or events.
https://www.highlandcounty.org/tourism-council/
Little Swiss Fund Grant: The Little Swiss Fund was established by an anonymous donor to benefit the nonprofit community in Highland County, Virginia. Nonprofits physically located in, and serving, Highland County, with broad active volunteer support and annual revenues exceeding $25,000 are encouraged to apply for annual grant funding. Organizations must receive less than half their income from government entities to be eligible. Religious organizations serving Highland County may also apply. The grant is managed by the Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
https://www.tcfhr.org/nonprofit-organizations/grants-available/
Regional Resources That Serve Highland County
Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC): The CSPDC works with its member jurisdictions, communities and agencies to provide high-quality planning, technical assistance, and facilitation of services that address local, regional and state needs in an innovative, timely and cooperative manner. Covering everything from land use planning, transportation, water and waste-water utilities, natural resource management, affordable housing, economic and community development, disaster mitigation and preparedness, agritourism to human services, the CSPDC is an invaluable asset to the quality of life in the Shenandoah Valley.
https://www.cspdc.org/
Community Foundation of the Central Blue Ridge: The CFCBR is a charitable organization dedicated to helping individual and corporate donors, and nonprofit organizations, fulfill their hopes and dreams for the community through charitable giving. Since their founding in 1992, they have reinvested over seven million dollars in the communities they serve –through grants, scholarships, and education awards.
https://cfcbr.org/
SCORE: SCORE’s mission is to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education. SCORE mentors can be contacted through their relationship with The Highland Center in Monterey. SCORE will hold monthly drop-in sessions at The Highland Center every 3rd Wednesday from 10 am - 2 pm. Individuals who are either in business, or are thinking of starting a business, can register for an hour of one-on-one mentoring to discuss questions and issues they have regarding their business or the journey of starting one. SCORE mentoring is free and confidential! Those interested must RSVP. To make an appointment, contact Jim Martin via email at jim.martin@scorevolunteer.org.
https://westernvirginia.score.org/
Shenandoah Community Capital Fund: The Shenandoah Community Capital Fund is on a mission to help people in the Shenandoah Valley start, manage and grow profitable businesses by providing access to capital, community and education for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs.
https://www.sccfva.org/
Shenandoah Valley Partnership: The Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP) works with public and private partners at the local, regional, and state level to develop an economic climate for business success throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Through regional cooperation, the SVP brings together business, government, and education leaders to attract new business to the area, help existing businesses expand, and guide strategic workforce development to grow and sustain a healthy economic future for our region.
https://theshenandoahvalley.com/
Get even more data and insights on living in the Shenandoah Valley at https://shenandoahvalleyliving.com/.
Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC): The mission of the SV SBCC is to advise, train and inform small businesses to help them achieve success. They are one of 29 centers across Virginia providing professional business advice, training, and information resources to help grow and strengthen local businesses.
https://www.valleysbdc.org/
Valley Business Compass: The Valley Business Compass is a virtual map of all the resources, events and opportunities for entrepreneurs in the Shenandoah Valley.
https://valleybusinesscompass.com/
Virginia Cooperative Extension: The Highland County office of Virginia Cooperative Extension is your local connection to Virginia's land-grant universities, Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. Through educational programs based on research and developed with input from local stakeholders, we help the people of Highland County improve their lives. We provide education through programs in Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, 4-H Youth Development, and Community Viability.
https://highland.ext.vt.edu/
Virginia Tourism Corporation: The overriding goal of all of VTC’s activities is to “serve the broader interests of the economy of Virginia by supporting, maintaining and expanding the Commonwealth’s domestic and international inbound tourism and motion picture production industries in order to increase visitor expenditures, tax revenues and employment.”
https://www.virginia.org/counties/Highland/VTC’s Research Team assists with a wide range of tourism-related data analysis and gathering, including the economic impact of tourism on the state and localities, visitor profiles, market share, consumer trends, lodging reports, and the VTC’s advertising and marketing campaigns. The goal of the Research team is to provide detailed and timely information for those in the Commonwealth who are interested in the travel and tourism industry.
https://www.vatc.org/research/
You can add your organization or event at virginia.org for FREE to increase your marketing power. Register at https://vatc.org/marketing/digital-marketing/webmarketing/.
Want to use the Virginia is for Lovers® Logo in your marketing? Visit this site to make your request: https://www.vatc.org/marketing/advertising/vifl-logo-request/