Professional Guidance and Support to New and Existing Businesses
Business Planning Tools
Business Planning: A Strong Foundation for Success
“Without the leg up that the Venture Center has given us, it would have been much more difficult for our company to get off the ground”
-Venture Center Tenant
Writing a business plan helps you to understand every component of your business from communicating your ideas and building a framework for decision-making and management. It serves as a reminder of your goals and for tracking the business’s performance.
The plan is a tool to articulate:
- investment needs
- capital assets
- business partnerships
- customer loyalty
Application Process
Start Here
Interested in exploring a business or idea? You’re in the right place! Step one is filling out our Interest Form. Once you have submitted your interest form, our team will contact you within two weeks with recommended next steps!
Step Two
Once you have submitted your Interest Form, and received recommended next steps, we’ll need to gather some more information from you. Collecting client information is critical for us to show our funders who we serve. Our Application includes questions regarding your estimated yearly gross income, explanation of business or idea and several other details. Your answers to these questions will help us help you by tailoring our services to meet your unique goals.
Attend an Information Session
We encourage you to register and attend an information session. You can attend an information session before or after submitting an Interest Form or Application.
Grow Your Business (all business)
Find out how our programs can help you with Counseling, Capital and Connections to GROW YOUR BUSINESS.
Learn about available resources and walk out knowing your next step.
FIRST Wednesday of the Month 2:00-3:00 pm FCCDC
Grow your Food Product Business
Food Producers looking to make their products or have their products co-packed at the Western MA Food Center access the FCCDC’s expertise at a food-focused information session. We invite food producers interested in using the Center to join us to learn more about our services and on-boarding process. Use the link below to sign up.
Third Tuesday of the Month 10:00 – 11:00 am
Financing Farms and Healthy Food Retail
Training Opportunities
Our Training Opportunities
Grow Your Business (all business)
Find out how our programs can help you with Counseling, Capital and Connections to GROW YOUR BUSINESS.
Learn about available resources and walk out knowing your next step.
FIRST Wednesday of the Month 2:00-3:00 pm FCCDC
Grow your Food Product Business
Food Producers looking to make their products or have their products co-packed at the Western MA Food Center access the FCCDC’s expertise at a food-focused information session. We invite food producers interested in using the Center to join us to learn more about our services and on-boarding process. Use the link below to sign up.
Third Tuesday of the Month 10:00 – 11:00 am
Financing Farms and Healthy Food Retail
Join us to learn more about how the PVGrows Investment Fund and Mass Food Trust can help provide financing and technical assistance for your business. This info session is geared towards entrepreneurs who are increasing access to healthy food. Retailers, farmers, processors, aggregators, distributors and more!
Second Wednesday of the month at 11:00 am.
Other Training Opportunities
Business Training is available from a variety of other organizations and consultants:
Resources from Western Mass Means Business:
Valley CDC, Northampton MA
Business Assistance and Workshops
Hilltown CDC, Chesterfield, MA
Business Assistance
Quaboag Valley CDC, Ware MA
Workshop and Class Schedule
MA Small Business Development Network
Workshop and Class Schedule
SCORE Western MA
SCORE workshops
Greenfield Community College
Business classes and workshops are offered year round
Business associations provide another opportunity for networking and marketing:
Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce
Shelburne Falls Area Business Association
Greenfield Business Association
Montague Business Association
Counseling Services
Our 1:1 Business Counseling Services
After attending an Information Session, one hour of free individual counseling is available to those who are starting or growing a business. You’ll receive business planning instruction that includes marketing, budget projections and business plan critique.
Fee-based counseling will guide you through developing a mission statement, goals and objectives, marketing plan, operations plan, and budget projection. This is structured for people who prefer individual counseling. Individual sessions by appointment.
Interested?
- Attend the next free information session Sign up here
- After attending the info session Apply for Counseling
- Call for an appointment 413-774-7204 ext 107
Other Free Business Counseling Services
Hilltown CDC, Chesterfield, MA
Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network – to make an appointment with an MSBDC counselor in:
- Franklin County, contact the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce at 413-773-5463
- Berkshire County, contact MSBDC Berkshire Regional Office at 413-499-0933
- Hampden County, contact MSBDC Western MA Regional Office at 413-577-1768
- Hampshire County, contact Northampton Chamber of Commerce at 413-584-1900
SCORE
To make an appointment with a SCORE counselor, contact the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce at 413-773-5463, or Western MA SCORE at 413-785-0314
Other Fee-based Business Counseling Services
are available from business consultants, accountants, lawyers, CPAs. To locate an industry expert that best fits your need:
- Ask several people you respect for a referral – obtain at least 2-3 choices
- Set up informational interviews to determine compatibility and if expertise fits your need
- Once you have selected the industry expert:
- Make a plan for the project
- Determine what you can do to prepare for your meetings (being prepared will lower your cost)
- Agree to a fee for service and time needed to complete the work.
Lending
Flexible Financing
“Thank you for being patient & not giving up on us! We’re in a better cash flow situation now”
-Small Business Owner
The FCCDC finances both start-up and existing small businesses for a wide range of purposes, and has been successfully doing so for 40 years.
We support entrepreneurs in a variety of industries with an emphasis on supporting entrepreneurs who are committed to creating jobs in their communities. Since 1979, we have provided more than $10 million in financing to local businesses and more than 300 loans. FCCDC borrowers have created and/or retained over thousands of local jobs!
Click here to learn more about our flexible Business Financing
PVGrows Investment Fund
Since 2008, the PVGrows Investment Fund has been harnessing the collective power of the Pioneer Valley to support food and farm businesses. PVGrows Investment Fund is Administered by the FCCDC.
Free Info Sessions
Free Information Sessions
If you are new to the FCCDC and would like to find out about our Lending, Technical Assistance, or training programs or to learn how to use the Western MA Food Processing Center, we invite you to come to one of our FREE virtual information sessions.
Information Session Presentations
We supply copies of our information session presentations after the live session. Note: the presentation shared at the info session may differ slightly from the one you see below.
Grow Your Business Info Session
Grow Your FOOD Business / WMFPC Info Session
Financing Farms and Healthy Food
Grow Your Business (all business)
Find out how our programs can help you with Counseling, Capital and Connections to GROW YOUR BUSINESS.
Learn about available resources and walk out knowing your next step.
FIRST Wednesday of the Month 2:00-3:00 pm FCCDC
Grow your Food Product Business
Food Producers looking to make their products or have their products co-packed at the Western MA Food Center access the FCCDC’s expertise at a food-focused information session. We invite food producers interested in using the Center to join us to learn more about our services and on-boarding process. Use the link below to sign up.
Third Tuesday of the Month 10:00 – 11:00 am
Financing Farms and Healthy Food Retail
Join us to learn more about how the PVGrows Investment Fund and Mass Food Trust can help provide financing and technical assistance for your business. This info session is geared towards entrepreneurs who are increasing access to healthy food. Retailers, farmers, processors, aggregators, distributors and more!
Second Wednesday of the month at 11:00 am.
Other Questions?
Contact us or call us at 413-774-7204
Or if you prefer, you may fill out our Application Form online to let us know how we can assist you with your business.
Register online or call 413-774-7204 x 100