FSEDI Awarded Funds from Dominion Energy and TowneBank for STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025
For Immediate Release: December 12, 2024
Contact: Karl Heck, President & CEO
kheck@franklinsouthamptonva.com
757-562-1958
Franklin, VA — Franklin Southampton Economic Development, Inc. (FSEDI) has been awarded $5,000 from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation and $2,500 from TowneBank to help support STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025, FSEDI’s annual competition to support budding entrepreneurs in Franklin Southampton. The funds will be used to support the cost of training entrepreneurs who participate in STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025.
“This funding will have an immediate impact on STARTUP Franklin Southampton,” said FSEDI President and CEO Karl Heck. “STARTUP Franklin Southampton has helped our community grow and expand its retail and commercial offerings in a variety of ways. The additional funding will help us continue to expand what we can offer our clients,” said Heck.
FSEDI also recently received $34,500 in funding from the Downtown Franklin Association (DFA) which is earmarked for STARTUP activities. The DFA grant came as part of the dissolution of the former Main Street organization in Franklin which was the original sponsor for the STARTUP Franklin program.
STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025 applications will be available to the public beginning on Monday, January 6th. Potential entrepreneurs will be able to apply on the FSEDI website fsediva.com. Potential participants must be interested in starting a new for-profit, brick-and-mortar business in either the City of Franklin or Southampton County. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Monday, January 27th.
FSEDI is currently soliciting additional funds and resources from the community to assist STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025 and beyond. If you are interested in helping us in any way, please contact our office either by email at kheck@franklinsouthamptonva.com or by phone at 757-562-1958.
FSEDI is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024-2025. FSEDI is a not-for-profit economic development organization serving the City of Franklin and Southampton County. FSEDI was formed through the work of Franklin Southampton Futures, a previous community visioning effort conducted in the early 2000’s. FSEDI’s mission is to diversify the economy, create high-quality jobs, and provide a future for the families and youth of Franklin and Southampton.