The Certified Entrepreneurial Community® Program is a facilitated entrepreneur development program that includes: eco-system assessment, Action Plan for year one, coaching, technical assistance, access to a web portal of program information, Score Card, and Action Plan for year two.
The Certified Entrepreneurial Community® Program is $20,000 plus travel expense for communities located in North Carolina. If you are outside of our region, the cost is only increased to cover the additional travel time required. Multiple counties and regions applying together will receive a discount.
Recertification is $6,000 per year and includes a half-day retreat resulting in an Action Plan for entrepreneurship for the following year, coaching, technical assistance, continued use of the certification designation, and an invitation to the Best Practice Annual Meeting.
Communities previously certified under the AdvantageWest program can apply to “graduate” out of Year 1 and go straight recertification if they can document a sustained entrepreneurship effort.