Program Overview

Business Partners provides training and assistance to persons in Washington, Greene, and Fayette Counties who wish to start or expand a micro business. A micro business is one that employs five or fewer persons and generally requires less than $35,000 in start-up costs.

Our business training consists of a 10-week facilitated course with participants meeting once a week for 2.5 hours. Through reading, research, and peer-to-peer discussions, participants learn the basics of business ownership such as legal structures, licensing, financials, and marketing. The goal is to build a workable business plan.

Business Partners offers micro entrepreneurs on-going support after the business training is completed through one-on-one consultations and referrals.

Our business training course is generally offered in the tri-county area in the spring and fall each year. For information on our next Business Partners course, visit our Upcoming Events section.

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Building Businesses Together

Approximately one-third of Business Partners graduates go on to start or expand their own micro business.  These businesses cover a wide spectrum from the building trades to food production. 

We are very proud of our business partners who are achieving their dreams of business ownership.  Each quarter we pay special tribute to a Business Partners graduate by highlighting their story in our Featured Entrepreneurs section.