Shenandoah Community Capital Fund to get $1M as part of federal program

The Shenandoah Community Capital Fund (SCCF) will receive $1 million in American Rescue Plan funding as part of the Community Navigator Pilot Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration announced Thursday.

The program is an initiative meant to reduce barriers that small businesses, especially those owned by veterans, women, people from rural communities and communities of color, face in accessing funding for 51 recipients. The funding will help the SCCF connect entrepreneurs in the Shenandoah Valley with government resources.

“To be part of this program is an honor and a testament to the expertise and experience SCCF has gained in developing entrepreneurs and supporting the growth of small businesses in our region,” SCCF Executive Director Debbie Irwin said in a statement. “With these funds, we’ll go even further in our pursuit of thriving entrepreneurial communities throughout the Shenandoah Valley.”

SCCF, formerly the Staunton Creative Community Fund, has supported entrepreneurs in Shenandoah Valley for 14 years. Using a GO Virginia grant, SCCF launched the Startup Shenandoah Valley (S2V) program, which provides online coaching to cohorts of businesses focused on light manufacturing, food processing, agriculture, technology and professional services.