Giving Rural Businesses the Attention They Deserve

Date: January 17, 2017

They now can receive the same services as urban entrepreneurs with Business Oregon’s Rural Entrepreneurship Development Initiative.

Entrepreneurial services are now available to rural Oregon areas thanks to REDI.

Business Oregon, an economic development agency, recently launched the Rural Entrepreneurship Development Initiative to expand entrepreneurship to rural areas of the state. The main purpose of the initiative is to make sure an entrepreneur in rural Oregon has access to the same resources as an entrepreneur in urban Oregon.

“Oregon small businesses are the backbone of a thriving Oregon economy,” Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said. “The Rural Entrepreneurship Development Initiative is an exciting new opportunity to leverage the skills and resources of innovative, local entrepreneurs and grow rural Oregon economies.”

REDI will work with organizations in Baker City, La Grande, Klamath Falls, and Coos Bay. The South Coast Development Council (SCDC), along with 10 other local partners, will lead the initiative in Coos Bay. This collaboration, known as The REEF: Rural Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Framework, will hold an incubation space, commercial kitchen, and co-working space, and it also will have resources dedicated to tourism business development. The REEF’s services range from helping develop a business plan to seeking angel funding.

“Rural Oregonians seeking to launch, grow, and scale viable companies have had inconsistent access to networking, capital, and mentoring resources,” said Business Oregon Director Chris Harder. “Great resources exist, and we’re using this initiative to invest in unique local opportunities and partnerships to improve access. 

While each initiative will vary per location, the main purpose for all is to create a collaborative environment where entrepreneurs can come together and make lasting connections.

The program has begun offering services.

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