Rural Business Growth
Helping Community Leaders Support Strong Rural Businesses
The Rural Business Growth Initiative (RBGI) is a decentralized partnership of cities, counties, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, community non-profits, small business support providers and small business financiers working to strengthen rural economies by supporting small business growth & recovery planning.
The RBGI provides a system and structure that empowers community partners across America in their work to plan and implement small-business-centered community events. Each community and group of associated partners work together to host events that celebrate small business's vital part in rural economies, invite new entrepreneurs to get off the sidelines, and encourage & support existing business owners in their efforts to keep growing.
Do you represent an economic development or non-profit organization?
Supporting the entrepreneurs and small business owners in your community through the RBGI is a great way to show that your organization is involved, engaged, and making a difference in the local economy. Even if you have a small staff you can put together a rural business growth event either on your own or with community partners. When you become a Pebble Plan partner make sure to ask for the playbook on how to get started.
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Join the team of cities, counties, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, community non-profits, and small business financiers working to strengthen rural economies by supporting small business growth planning.
Do you represent a bank or other financing entity?
Supporting rural entrepreneurship through the RBGI is a great way to reinvest in the communities you operate in, as well as a great way to get in contact with small businesses that may need banking or lending services. Support provided to communities & entrepreneurs through RGBI will be processed through a network of regional 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that serves the community or communities you want to support. While financial support for rural entrepreneurs is always needed, providing knowledge support and training is also extreemly valuable to small businesses planning for growth. To discuss either option, and how the RBGI can help your organization accomplish it's community reivestment goals, please contact RGBI organizers via the 'get started' link below.
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Join the team of cities, counties, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, community non-profits, and small business financiers working to strengthen rural economies by supporting small business growth planning.
Are you a business owner looking for information about a community event?
If you are trying to get more information about, or register for, a small business growth planning event in your community please double check the information you received and make sure you enter the complete URL (website address) in your browser. Each community has a separate page on this website with their own specific information about how they run their event. Normally the URL format for a community looks like this: http://www.ruralbusinessgrowth.com/ yourtownsname
Are you a business owner looking to start your business plan?
If the event host gave you a specific link to follow or button to use, use the resource they gave you. If they have not given you a link to follow you can start your business plan Here. When you create your account, you will be given the opportunity to enter an access code; if your event host gave you an access code enter it there. If you were not given a code complete the signup process and start creating your plan. Make sure you read the help & navigation information provided in the Start section, it will get you off to a faster start.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who can organize & host an RBGI local event?
Economic development organizations, community development organizations, chambers of commerce, business support organizations that are registered 501(c)3 non-profit corporations in good standing, or extensions of a city, county, or state government focused on supporting small business growth.
What does and RBGI event look like?
While there is no specific format for RBGI events, hallmarks of our events include:
Discussion of why small businesses are vital to rural economies
Encouragement of prospective and/or youth entrepreneurs to start exploring the potential of their business ideas
Discussion / explanation of why growth planning and/or recovery planning are so important to future success
Providing business planning and/or recovery planning resources to businesses and individuals that want them.
Discussion / explanation of different financing options and what the financing process entails
Business planning seminars
Business planning competitions
Business mentor connections / matchmaking
Youth entrepreneurship events / activities
Who can attend an RBGI local event?
Each community host sets their own rules for how they manage access to any rural business growth events they host. RBGI events are usually free and open to the public, however we defer to the local organizers to decide what is in the best interests of their community and how to best support small business growth in the areas they serve.
Do RBGI events cost anything to host?
It depends. Many organizations partner up with local or regional sponsors to cover the costs of putting on community events; so for those organizations there is usually no cost. We are glad to connect host organizations with sponsors that want to support small business growth in specific areas when possible. If however, a community host cannot find a sponsor, or does not want a sponsor, there is a very affordable annual license cost for the RBGI community event playbook, online tools, and registration / information website. Contact us to discuss how sponsorships can work. info@ruralbusinessgrowth.com
Can multiple organizations work together to host an event?
Yes, we encourage it. One organization will be the community host & primary contact with RBGI to arrange for software & website access, but beyond that how you handle event organization is up to you. We offer an event playbook with recommendations to keep things simple and effective, but the final choices are yours to make.
Are there any legal consideration I need to be aware of?
RBGI & Rural Business Growth Initiative are trademarked terms and may only be used subject to the local event agreement required to use this website or any of our protected terms, marks or content. The local event agreement and terms of use for the rural business growth website will cover any additional legal considerations.
Who is Pebble Plan and how are they involved?
Pebble Plan is the technology provider behind RBGI. For more information, please see the about page of this website. Additional Pebble Plan services may be purchased at an additional charge.
