Franklin County Office of Economic Development

09/01/2026

September is here, and so is the latest Franklin County Economic Development Newsletter! 🍂

This month’s edition is packed with updates, celebrations, resources, and opportunities from across Franklin County, including:

📊 The Economic Development FY 2026 Annual Report
🏆 Franklin County business milestone recognitions
✂️ Highlights from recent small business ribbon cuttings
💡 Resources, training, and events from our partner programs
📣 Opportunities to share your input and help shape the future of our economy

Whether you’re a business owner, entrepreneur, community partner, or simply interested in Franklin County’s continued growth, there’s plenty to explore in this month’s edition!

📩 Read the September newsletter here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Economic-Development---September-2026-Update.html?soid=1139819836528&aid=Jtuk_eD2ulA

Want future updates delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe directly through the newsletter to stay connected each month!

Email from Franklin County, VA   September 2026 We’re proud to share the Franklin County Economic Development FY 2026 Annual Report, highlighting a year of growth, collaboration and opportunity across

08/31/2026

The Roanoke Regional Chamber’s next installment of Good Morning VBR is coming up on September 9 in Rocky Mount, bringing together regional leaders and the business community for a morning of updates, conversation, and connection.

Hear directly from regional representatives as they share what’s happening in their communities and discuss key developments in economic growth, infrastructure, workforce, education, and community initiatives.

This Good Morning VBR session will feature updates from the following locality representatives:
• Steve Sandy, County Administrator – Franklin County
• Holland Perdue, Mayor – Town of Rocky Mount
• Nathan McClung, Asst. Director of Planning & Zoning – Town of Vinton
• Rich Evans, Capital Project Manager – Botetourt County
• Doug Blount, Deputy County Administrator – Roanoke County
• Joe Cobb, Mayor – City of Roanoke
• And a representative from the City of Salem

Event Details:
📅 Wednesday, September 9
🕗 8:00 – 9:15 AM
📍 Harvester Performance Center | Rocky Mount, VA

Light refreshments will be provided, with opportunities to network before and after the program. Join the conversation and stay connected to the priorities and progress moving our region forward!

🔗 Learn More & Register: https://business.roanokechamber.org/community-calendar-list/Details/good-morning-vbr-september-2026-1874235?sourceTypeId=Hub

08/28/2026

New funding is coming to support Virginia’s local food and agriculture infrastructure!

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will open its Fall Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Infrastructure Grant round on September 14.

The program provides reimbursable grants of up to $50,000 for eligible capital projects supporting Virginia agriculture and local food systems, including:
🥕 Farmers’ markets and food hubs
🍽️ Commercial kitchens
🥩 Meat, dairy, and produce processing facilities
📦 Packaging and other value-added facilities

Applications must be submitted by an eligible locality or public entity, so local farmers, food producers, and organizations with potential projects are encouraged to connect with our economic development team to best explore partnership opportunities.

Grant Details:
📅 Applications Open: September 14
⏰ Deadline: October 30 at 5:00 PM
💰 Funding: Up to $50,000

🔗 Learn more: https://www.vdacs.virginia.gov/agriculture-afid-infrastructure-grants.shtml

08/27/2026

Your voice can help shape the future of Southwest Virginia!

Friends of Southwest Virginia has launched Destination Southwest Virginia, a regional initiative focused on strengthening the economy by building on the region's tourism, outdoor recreation, arts, culture, and heritage assets.

Community input will help guide a 10-year strategic plan for future investment, collaboration, and destination development across Southwest Virginia. If you live, work, or do business here in Franklin County, we encourage you to share your Southwest Virginia perspective by taking the community survey. Together, we can help shape a stronger future for our region!

🔗 Take the survey: www.destinationswva.org

The survey is open through mid-September. Please consider sharing it to help ensure voices from across our region are represented!

08/26/2026

Small businesses make a big impact! 🎉 Please join us in congratulating the Franklin County Businesses who are regional finalists in the Roanoke Regional Chamber's 2026 Small Business Celebration!

Small businesses are at the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. They are driving innovation, creating jobs, strengthening our communities, and bringing bold ideas to life. The Small Business Celebration & Awards Ceremony recognizes the outstanding companies and people helping our region thrive, and it is a great accomplishment for so many Franklin County businesses to be acknowledged.

Congratulations to all of the 2026 Regional Finalists from Franklin County! 👏

08/26/2026

The 2026 Virginia Manufacturing Cup is celebrating the innovation, craftsmanship, and incredible products made right here in the Commonwealth—and nominations are now open! ⚙️

Hosted by the Virginia Manufacturers Association, this annual competition gives Virginia-made products the chance to earn statewide recognition and compete for the title of “The Coolest Thing Made in Virginia.”

Manufacturers across a wide range of industries are eligible to participate, and nominations are free and open to the public.

📅 Nomination Deadline: August 31
🗳️ Public Voting: September 21 – October 9
🏆 Winners Announced: November 6 at the Virginia Manufacturing Gala

Know a great product made locally here in Virginia? Help showcase our Commonwealth’s manufacturing excellence by submitting a nomination!

🔗 Nominate & Learn More: https://vamfgcup.com/nominate/

08/25/2026

Ready to grow your professional skills and strengthen your small business? 📈 Patrick & Henry Community College is offering Entrepreneurial Workshops with practical tools for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs!

📊 Excel for Business | $60
This hands-on course teaches practical Microsoft Excel skills for business, including budgeting, sales analysis, financial modeling, and performance reporting to support better data-driven decisions.
• Aug. 27 – Sept. 3 | 1:00–3:00 PM | P&HCC MET I
• Sept. 29 – Oct. 6 | 1:00–3:00 PM | Patrick County Site

💡 Turning Skills into Income | $30
This workshop helps aspiring entrepreneurs turn their skills into income by learning how to price and package their work, attract customers, avoid common startup mistakes, and build a sustainable business.
• Sept. 16 | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM | Dalton IDEA Center
• Sept. 23 | 12:00–2:00 PM | Patrick County Site

📱 Taking Your Social Media to the Next Level | $15
Learn how to strengthen your brand’s online presence, reach more customers, and grow your business through effective social media engagement.
• Sept. 22 | 12:00–1:00 PM | Dalton IDEA Center
• Oct. 20 | 12:00–1:00 PM | Patrick County Site

Whether you're launching a new venture or growing an existing business, there’s an opportunity to sharpen your skills and learn something new!

🔗 Browse Workshops & Register: https://ph.augusoft.net/connect/ClassListing/ClassListingDisplay?int_category_id=1&int_sub_category_id=5&int_catalog_id=

08/24/2026

Last week, we had the opportunity to join the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Community Partnership of Rocky Mount to celebrate another Franklin County business with a ribbon cutting: Photography By Beth Preston LLC! 📷🎉✂️

Photography by Beth Preston celebrated the grand opening of a new studio, located in the heart of Rocky Mount. We are proud to recognize significant moments like these and showcase the business owners who help make Franklin County, VA a great place to live, work, and do business.

Please join us in congratulating Photography By Beth Preston and celebrating another exciting milestone for the Franklin County small business community! ⭐

08/24/2026

Help shape the future of childcare in our region!

United Way of Virginia's Blue Ridge and Ready Region West have partnered with the Virginia Tech Center for Economic and Community Engagement, creating regional childcare surveys to better understand the challenges, needs, and opportunities surrounding childcare in our communities.

We’re encouraging local businesses, families, and childcare providers to share their experiences and perspectives. Your feedback can help provide a clearer picture of childcare needs across the region and inform future efforts to support working families, employers, and providers.

Three surveys are available:
🏢 Employer Survey – For businesses, employers, and HR professionals
👨‍👩‍👧 Parent/Guardian Survey – For parents, guardians, families, and community members with young children
🧸 Childcare Provider Survey – For childcare centers, family childcare providers, and early childhood programs

Childcare plays an important role in supporting our workforce and families. We encourage you to take the survey that applies to you and help spread the word!
🔗 Survey links can be found in the corresponding graphics attached.

08/21/2026

Congratulations to Traditional Medicinals on being named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing American companies! 🎉

This marks the second year in a row that a company doing business in Franklin County has earned this national recognition, following Jewell Machinery’s inclusion on the list in 2025.

We’re proud to see businesses choosing to grow and expand right here in Franklin County, VA and look forward to supporting their continued success! ⭐

We're honored to share that Traditional Medicinals has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies.

For more than 50 years, we've believed in the power of medicinal plants to support health and well-being. Just as importantly, we've believed that caring for people and the planet is inseparable from the products we create. That commitment has shaped how we source our herbs, how we build relationships with farming communities around the world, and how we strive to bring the highest standards of quality, purity, and sustainability to every cup.

This recognition gives us an opportunity to reflect on the many people who have made that journey possible. We're deeply grateful to the farmers and wild collectors who care for these remarkable plants, our herbalists, scientists, manufacturing teams, employees, and retail partners who help bring them to life, and everyone who has chosen Traditional Medicinals over the years. Your trust allows us to continue doing the work we love.

While we're honored by this recognition, our focus remains the same as it has always been: inspiring a deeper connection to plant wisdom, strengthening the communities and ecosystems that make our work possible, and creating herbal products people can trust for generations to come.

Thank you for being part of our story. We'd love to hear what Traditional Medicinals has meant to you over the years. Share your story with us in the comments.

Read more: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/traditional-medicinals-earns-a-spot-on-the-2026-inc-5000-for-the-first-time-302847683.html?tc=eml_cleartime