CIC’s mission is to strengthen our community and contribute to economic development by fueling the success of under-resourced entrepreneurs through education, mentoring, financing, and networking.
CIC was founded in 2011 and held its first workshop in May 2012. Since then, for every $1 spent by CIC, we have helped entrepreneurs generate $6.28 in wages from job creation in our community.
131Businesses Opened
288FTE Jobs Created
$21.81Million Generated Wages
Our Pillars
Education
Our signature program, a 16-week Entrepreneur Workshop, enables entrepreneurs to determine whether their business is viable, develop an initial plan for launch or growing, and learn the fundamentals of how to act out that plan.
Networking
We create opportunities for entrepreneurs to build business networks and market their products and services through community events and press coverage.
Mentoring
We pair entrepreneurs with experienced business professionals from the community for ongoing advisory support.
Financing
We are filling the lending gap by offering micro-loans of up to $50,000 to qualified entrepreneurs.
Featured Entrepreneurs
"The CIC Entrepreneur Workshop gave me the business education and networking opportunities I needed to successfully launch my business."
Heart and Soul Fitness
A nonprofit organization that believes that regardless of financial capacity, everyone should have access to group exercise classes and wellness education.
Learn More"In the time before CIC, there was not much hope in Charlottesville's economic environment, in fact none at all for most poor folk, black folk, felons, the so called socially and economically disadvantaged. CIC put flesh on the bones of folks' ideas, helped them dig out the truth and set a clear path of how to get there. That has been my experience, and I have watched it happen for CIC graduates, over and over again, since the organization's inception in 2012."
RBC Institute Inc
The center for faith-based and community learning, including Servsafe Manager and Servsafe Food Handler Classes
Learn More"CIC brought me into the world of business and started my initiation into business lingo, processes, and, most importantly, the warm community of co-entrepreneurs and CIC supporters. The most surprising and rewarding part is the growth of the network and getting to share in CIC opportunities for our business, as well as, savoring the successes of some of our classmates!"
Hyegeia Wellness Park
A virtual community where you can access research-based tools, strategies and resources to learn at your own pace, grow, and connect with others who have similar goals.
Learn More