SmartSTART Business Plan Competition
Funding Amount
Up to $15,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Can we apply?
Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.
Eligible organizations
- For-profit businesses
Other requirements
- Must be a graduate of the 8-week SmartSTART or FastTrac program offered by the EDC
- Business owners at any stage (startup or established)
Overview
Funder: Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation (EDC)
Geographic Scope: City of Martinsville and Henry County, Virginia
Purpose: Award grants to small business owners who have graduated from the SmartSTART or FastTrac business planning program.
Eligibility
- Must be a graduate of the 8-week SmartSTART or FastTrac program offered by the EDC
- Business owners at any stage (startup or established)
- For-profit businesses
What They Fund
- Equipment purchases
- Technology investments
- Inventory expansion
- Kitchen equipment
- Employee training
- Computer purchases
- Product line development
Award Details
- Total Amount: $15,000 total distributed among winners (2017 data)
- Individual Awards: Vary by business need
- Recipients: 7 businesses awarded in 2017 competition
Background
- The SmartSTART program has been running for 10+ years (as of 2017)
- 147 total graduates since program inception
- Each 8-week session covers business planning fundamentals
- Participants receive feedback from coaches and business professionals
- Program explores: executive summaries, marketing plans, competitive analyses, cash flow projections
Contact Information
Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation
- Address: 191 Fayette St., Third Floor, PO Box 631, Martinsville, Virginia 24114
- Phone: (276) 403-5940
- Website: yesmartinsville.com
How to Apply
Application Process
- Enroll in SmartSTART Program
- Complete 8-week business planning certification program
- Attend weekly sessions on business planning topics
- Work with business coaches and professionals
- Develop Business Plan
- Create executive summary
- Develop marketing plan
- Conduct competitive analysis
- Project cash flow
- Receive feedback from coaches and classmates
- Enter Competition
- Open to all SmartSTART or FastTrac graduates
- Submit completed business plan
- Present business plan summary to judges
- Selection
- Plans evaluated on viability and impact potential
- Awards allocated based on business needs
- Winners announced following presentations
Required Materials
- Completed business plan with all required sections
- Executive summary
- Marketing plan
- Competitive analysis
- Cash flow projections
- Presentation at final program session
What Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 5
- Total given
- $378K
- Median grant
- $20K
- Range
- $7,500–$183K
- By dollars: Virginia 100%. Top recipient cities: Ridgeway, VA; Colinsville, VA; Martinsville, VA.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Example grants
Press Glass · Ridgeway, VA
Lease commonwealth centre
$183K
Advanced Revert LLC · Ridgeway, VA
Building improvements
$150K
Martinsville International L · Ridgeway, VA
Speedway sponsorship
$20K
Henry County Parks & Rec · Colinsville, VA
Smith river fest; henry county fair
$18K
Rooster Walk · Martinsville, VA
Music festival
$7,500
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Small businesses
- Startups
Categories
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