1. SourceLink Virginia: What’s In It For You
VCEN Annual Conference
Roanoke, VA
June 4, 2014

2. In 2013, VCEN surveyed over 70 community economic
development professionals and statewide leaders to gauge
their interests in various programs and services.
Over the past 5 years, several Virginia agencies and regions
(Charlottesville, Lynchburg, VDBA, Loudoun) inquired with
US SourceLink about the program and other regions (RVA,
SOVA, SWVA, etc.) identified the need for an online resource
database as key parts of their entrepreneurship strategies
Why SourceLink Virginia?
Connecting Resources (out of 5)
Creating a website where individuals could find business building resource
organizations in Virginia, searchable by geography and services offered
4.2
Creating a shared online calendar of trainings and community events,
searchable by location
4.1
Creating an online directory of organizations involved in community
development initiatives, searchable by location and category
4.3

3.  Two categories of users (over 20 states)
 Affiliates (21) – sign licensing agreements; receive full package
of technology solutions and technical assistance
 Customers (21) – purchase individual US SourceLink
components versus custom-built, off-the-shelf or open-
sourced
 About the Affiliate Network
 11 economic development agencies, 8 universities, two
municipal governments
 13 regional, 6 statewide, 2 locality
 VCEN is the only startup organization attempting a US
SourceLink implementation (national model?)
 Typical staffing: Network Builder/Program Director,
Referral Center Manager, Administrative Support
 US SourceLink is managed by UMKC with primary funding
from licensing fees
The US SourceLink Network

4. VCEN is the official statewide affiliate of US SourceLink – 3-
year license with option to renew
SourceLink Virginia features will include:
 Interactive website with calendar, blogs, and information
 Online database (Resource Navigator)
 Toll-free telephonic Referral Center (if needed)
 Client Management System/CRM (Biz-Trakker)
SourceLink Virginia service providers are:
 Any nonprofit, university or governmental organization that
provides direct services to entrepreneurs and small
businesses
 VCEN and US SourceLink are exploring ways to include for-
profit services providers that meet certain parameters.
SourceLink Virginia is provided free of charge to both
service providers and businesses
About SourceLink Virginia

7.  The SourceLink program is designed to be low-impact on
Resource Partners.
 Each organization goes through an initial intake process where
information is gathered about their program and service
offerings (paper, electronic and/or online)
 Partner organizations will have the option of posting their
classes and events to the SourceLink Virginia website
 VCEN will co-host periodic Resource Partner meetings with
regional champions around the Commonwealth
 Resource Partners are asked to promote SourceLink Virginia
when possible.
 SourceLink Virginia is designed to be easily integrated into
existing local entrepreneurship and economic development
initiatives (ex. My SWVA Opportunity, RVA Works, Loudoun
SourceLink, etc.)
 SourceLink Virginia will complement, not duplicate, the
Commonwealth’s Business One-Stop Program
How You Can Help

8. Free marketing of your services, classes, and
events
Qualified client referrals, based on the service
providers criteria
Greater public awareness of your organization
Increased knowledge among community
economic development providers of potential
partners
Identify gaps in Virginia’s entrepreneurial &
economic development ecosystem that can lead
to program creation, reform or expansion
What’s in it for you?

9. SourceLink Virginia is being developed in-house at VCEN
with assistance from Resource Partners
An initial group of service provider information has been
uploaded into the online database (Resource Navigator)
for testing
VCEN will do a “soft launch” of the interactive online
database in mid-June to solicit feedback from providers
and entrepreneurs
 SourceLinkVirginia.org is under construction and will
include a calendar, blog, links to Business One-Stop, etc.
VCEN expects SourceLink Virginia to fully go live in Summer
2014
Sneak Preview

10. For more information
Contact:
Conaway B. Haskins III
Executive Director of VCEN
804.793.0985 (desk)
703.946.3089 (cell)
chaskins@vcen.org
On the Web:
http://www.vcen.org
Social Media:
http://www.twitter.com/SourceLinkVA
http://www.facebook.com/vcen.org
http://vcen.tumblr.com

11. Questions? Comments?