Community & Economic Development

Community Connections at Work

The Longwood University Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) brings University resources together to support community engagement in a collaborative and accessible manner.  Longwood University OCED provides supportive research and business development services to the community, while providing opportunities for students and faculty to leverage their talents and expertise within the Longwood University service area.

To accomplish this mission, OCED facilitates regular conversations among campus and local community leaders to identify projects that strengthen the business and economic development communities in Longwood University's service area.

Services and Resources

Longwood Small Business Development Center

OCED houses the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as a core service to the small business community.  The Small Business Development Center is an economic development outreach of Longwood University in partnership with the Small Business Administration and Local Governments.  The Longwood SBDC operates five offices in this region:  Farmville (Headquarters at Longwood University), Petersburg, South Boston, Danville, and Martinsville.  Each office is staffed with a director and supported by staff and students at the lead office.

Grant funding and local contributions allow the Longwood SBDC to provide small business consulting at no charge to the potential or existing small business owner.  Primary services include:

• Business Planning Assistance - Startup and Existing
• Market Research and Analysis
• Financial Analysis and Comparison to Industry Standards
• Specialized Retail and Restaurant Consulting and Programming through the STAMP Program
• Regular Workshops:
  • Starting a Small Business
  • Basic Bookkeeping for Small Business
  • Basic Payroll for Small Business
• Access to Other Specialties in Longwood's Network of Five Centers as well as the Virginia Network of 29 SBDC offices

For more information visit the Longwood SBDC website.

Procurement and Technical Assistance

Through a partnership with Crater Planning District Commission's Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), Longwood provides access to free training and counseling for businesses interested in Government Contracting.  Email or call for the most current schedule of available counseling assistance.  Click here for more information on PTAC.

Research Resources for Entrepreneurs

OCED provides the following resources to assist entrepreneurs and economic developers with market and industry research.

• IBISWorld
• ESRI Business Analyst
• ProfitCents

Economic Development and Research Services

Using staff, student, and faculty expertise, OCED has professional resources to assist with research projects for your community or region.