The Yancey Economic Development Commission announces its fourth 2021 grant award made under the Burnsville Downtown Entrepreneurship Assistance Program. “I’m pleased to announce a grant made through Yancey EDC’s Downtown Entrepreneurship Assistance Program was awarded to “Second Home”, a new business located on West Main Street in Burnsville.
A collaboration between Homeplace Beer Company of Burnsville and Stackhouse restaurant of Mars Hill located at 315 West Main Street in Burnsville, the new restaurant features Appalachian inspired cuisine alongside seasonal craft cocktails. “I am very excited to be able to announce Yancey EDC’s fourth DEAP grant of 2021 to “Second Home”. This grant program was designed by the Yancey EDC Board of Directors to promote new businesses and expansions of existing successful local business. I am particularly proud to announce this grant as it checks both of those boxes. In 2021 we have awarded more DEAP grants than any previous year. This is a sign of economic growth for our town and county due largely to the entrepreneurs who make up our local small business community, of whom we’re extremely proud and happy to work alongside” said Yancey EDC Director Jamie McMahan.
“The key to economic prosperity in any town, but especially in small town America, is a proactive approach to recruiting and developing our best assets; those in our own backdoor- the entrepreneur” added EDC Director McMahan. “Creating a community that supports entrepreneurial development will generate profit for the entire county and will also fill a gap that directly benefits our specific economic needs.”
The Burnsville Downtown Entrepreneur Assistance Program (DEAP). DEAP is an incentive grant program with the goal of creating new jobs, increasing revenue, and making downtown Burnsville an attractive option for business development. The purpose of this program is to support business recruitment by assisting new start-ups within the critical first six months of business.
The DEAP program requires applicants submit a written business plan when applying for the grant and may, depending upon the applicant’s previous business experience, require attendance of business management and training courses at Mayland Community College through the Mayland Small Business Center, or other accredited institution offering the required courses and will require recipients to create at least one new full time equivalent job. In addition to the grant award of $2,500 the grant will also cover the cost of the recipient’s first year of membership in the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce.
For more details on how to apply for the grant program contact Jamie McMahan, Executive Director of the Yancey County Economic Development Commission, at (828) 682-7722 or via email at yanceyedc@gmail.com. Application information may also be obtained at the Yancey County Chamber of Commerce or the Mayland Community College Small Business Center.
