Certifications

It's time to celebrate! Plainview, TX has become the first community in the state to receive certification as an Entrepreneur Ready Community. Here is a link to the newspaper article in the Plainview Daily Herald. For more info read here

Two certification programs are available to individuals and communities as a means of promoting support for entrepreneurs and their communities:

The Entrepreneur Guide program is for individuals that desire to become actively involved in providing technical and other forms of assistance directly to entrepreneurs that are starting or growing businesses within a specific geographic area. This program is unique to Texas and makes use of assessments, curriculum and other products that have been developed by TCRE resource providers. Entrepreneur Guides will be publicized as primary contacts for assistance or further referral to other specialists once certified. Certification will occur once individuals complete all documentation (including a specified number of assessments) described by the program guidelines (links below).

Entrepreneur Guide assessment
Entrepreneur Guide Certification guidelines

The Entrepreneur Ready Community program is for communities (defined locally by each group...not necessarily limited by geography) that desire to become actively involved in providing technical assistance and other resources to entrepreneurs that are starting or growing businesses within a specific geographic area. This program is unique to Texas and makes use of assessments, curriculum and other products that have been developed by TCRE resource providers. Once certified, Entrepreneur Ready Communities will be publicized as locations with an organized network of individuals and organizations providing assistance and other resources to entrepreneurs. Certification will occur once community leaders complete all documentation (including a specified number of assessments) described by the program guidelines (links below). The Entrepreneur Ready Community program incorporates ideas from several programs that create entrepreneur supportive communities, best practices, and experiences from working with entrepreneurs. Assessments have been developed based on recommendations from resource providers across the economic development landscape in Texas. Several states have similar programs and their criteria have been studied. Thus far no funding is available to reward individuals or communities for certification but that is a next logical step for the future. Your comments and questions about these programs are welcome.

Entrepreneur Ready Community Assessment
Entrepreneur Ready Community Certification guidelines
Developing Entrepreneur Ready Communities curriculum