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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, FSEDI’s annual competition to support budding entrepreneurs in the area. 

A joint news release noted that the funds will be used to support the cost of training entrepreneurs who participate in the 2025 edition of STARTUP Franklin Southampton.

“This funding will have an immediate impact on STARTUP Franklin Southampton,” FSEDI President and CEO Karl Heck said. “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.”

FSEDI also recently received $34,500 in funding from the Downtown Franklin Association (DFA) that is earmarked for STARTUP activities. The DFA grant came as part of the dissolution of the former Main Street organization in Franklin that was the original sponsor for the STARTUP Franklin program.

STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025 applications will be available to the public beginning on Monday, Jan. 6. 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, Jan. 27.

FSEDI is currently soliciting additional funds and resources from the community to assist STARTUP Franklin Southampton 2025 and beyond. For those interested in helping FSEDI in any way, contact its office either by email at kheck@franklinsouthamptonva.com or by phone at 757-562-1958.

FSEDI is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024-25. It 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 2000s. 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.