CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- A workshop that helps aspiring and existing small business owners is expanding its reach.

The Community Investment Collaborative says it is expanding its signature Entrepreneur Workshop into Culpeper and Orange counties this fall.

According to a release, this is in partnership with the Economic Development Offices in Orange County and the town of Culpeper.

“Community Investment Collaborative’s 16-Week Workshop is a proven driver for building an entrepreneurship ecosystem. It’s designed to help entrepreneurs do two things: determine if the business can be viable, and learn the basics of running a business,“ said Paige Read, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, Town of Culpeper. “We are grateful for the partnership with Orange County Economic Development in bringing this series north to the greater Culpeper-Orange community. I am confident participants who complete the program will be better prepared for an ever-changing business landscape.” 

The workshop will start on Aug. 22 at the Carver Center in Rapidan.

CIC initially expanded its service area into Orange, Culpeper, Madison and Rappahannock counties in 2020 by taking over as the host of the Central Virginia Small Business Development Center.

It has also worked with the counties of Orange, Culpeper, Madison and Fauquier as well as the town of Culpeper to manage business grant programs funded by federal funds directed toward businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The release says adding an additional location for this workshop implements a portion of CIC’s strategic plan to increase program offerings to rural communities in the region it serves, focusing on under-resourced entrepreneurs.

The fall sessions of the workshop will be held in Culpeper-Orange and Charlottesville, and people interested in participating can now apply and select which cohort will work for them based on their location.

Those who complete the program will have a chance to be paired up with mentors and join Small Business Circles for ongoing support as well as be eligible for other CIC programming aspects.

Applications will be accepted until July 7.

For more information, click here.