April is a season of growth and fresh momentum for Southern Virginia’s entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators. As spring unfolds, it’s a great time to build on new ideas, strengthen connections, and take the next steps in your business journey. This month’s programs and events are designed to help you sharpen your skills, expand your network, and keep moving forward with confidence.
Contracting 101 with the Commonwealth of Virginia
Wednesday, April 8, 2026 | 12pm-1:30pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
Join Margaret Edmond of Virginia APEX for a free workshop designed to help entrepreneurs learn how to register as an eVA vendor and become SWaM certified to pursue state contracting opportunities. Bring your laptop and learn how to navigate the system, identify who is buying what you sell, and use eVA tools to market your business to Virginia state agencies.
RISE Office Hours
Multiple Dates
Have an idea or working to grow your business but not sure what the next step should be? Stop by to connect with a RISE Navigator, ask questions, and get linked to resources and partners that can help move your business forward. All stages are welcome, from early ideas to established businesses.
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 8am-12pm | P&HCC Dalton IDEA Center
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 9am-12pm | P&HCC Stuart Site
Friday, April 17, 2026 | 10am-2pm | The Story Cafe
Thursday, April 23, 2026 | 4pm-8pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup for Entrepreneurs
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 12pm-1pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
The RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup brings together entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across Southern Virginia for connection and resource sharing. The April session will focus on agriculture.
Applying Project Management for Founders, Entrepreneurs, and Businesses
Multiple Dates
Join Nikouri Brown of Creative PM Solutions for a free four-part workshop series designed to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into clear plans and consistent action using practical project management tools. Hosted on Wednesdays from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM EST on Zoom, the series will cover planning, setting milestones, managing risk and resources, and building stronger systems to support business growth.
April 22, 2026 – From Idea to Plan: Structuring Your Business Initiative
April 29, 2026 – Planning Your Go-to-Market: Turning Strategy into Action
May 13, 2026 – Staying on Track: Managing Risk and Accountability During Growth
May 20, 2026 – Measuring Progress: Tracking Results and Preparing for Growth
EVOLVE Nonprofit Networking Event
Thursday, April 23, 2026 | 5:30pm-7pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
EVOLVE focuses on connection and community impact. Enjoy a light lunch while connecting with nonprofit leaders, board members, and others who are passionate about making a difference. This free event is open to all and highlights EVOLVE’s ongoing support for nonprofit leaders and founders across Halifax, Mecklenburg, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Brunswick, and surrounding counties.
RISE Summit
Friday, October, 2026 | 8am-5:30pm | The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
The third annual RISE Summit brings together entrepreneurs for a full day of inspiration, skill-building workshops, and high-impact networking. This year’s focus is Innovation in Business, Manufacturing, and Agriculture, making it a must-attend event for entrepreneurs across industries. Super Early Bird tickets are available now for $45 through July 16, with Early Bird and Regular rates available as the event approaches.
Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies
Generating Leads Using eVA – Workshop #2
Wednesday, April 8 and April 22, 2026 | 10am – 12pm | Online
This advanced workshop is the 2nd in the eVA series & focuses on lead generation. This hands-on session explores the public transparency tools available on the eVA website, including the Report & Resource Center and the new “power” search. You’ll learn how to identify buyers who are buying what you sell, determine prices being paid for goods/services, identify who’s getting business (is it you or your competition). We’ll also walk through the Virginia Business Opportunities public posting page – featuring collaboration tools like B2B Connect & VIBE – as we discuss how & when eVA builds a lead list for you and why rating your leads is important.
Hosted by the eVA outreach team with the Virginia Division Small Business & Supplier Diversity.
Intro to Selling to Virginia – Workshop #1
Wednesday, April 15 and April 29, 2026 | 10am – 11:30am | Online
This session will provide a high level overview of the Commonwealth’s purchasing process, including purchasing policies that affect how buyers use the eVA system to “shop” and the eVA tools used by our buying community. You’ll also get a guided tour of the eVA website as we discuss the publicly accessible tools & resources every business should know about if they’re interested in selling to Virginia. And if you’re not already an eVA registered Vendor, you’ll learn how to get signed-up, as well as where to go for help at any time!
Hosted by the eVA outreach team with the Virginia Division Small Business & Supplier Diversity.
Upcoming Events Hosted by the Longwood Small Business Development Center & Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Startup Strategies
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 10:30am – 12pm | Online
This session explores key motivations for entrepreneurship while helping participants assess their readiness to start or grow a business. Topics include evaluating entrepreneurial strengths, marketing strategies, financial resources, legal structures, business planning tips, and basic cybersecurity considerations. Participants will leave with a clearer strategy for building a strong foundation for long-term entrepreneurial success.
Hosted by the Longwood SBDC
Success Through e-Commerce
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 12pm – 1:30pm | Online
This session is designed for entrepreneurs and businesses interested in expanding their online sales strategy. Participants will learn about website options, how to choose the right e-commerce platform for their business, and how to set up and manage an online storefront or service portal using data and marketing to maximize results.
Trademark Basics
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 12pm – 1:00pm | Online
This session will introduce entrepreneurs and small business owners to the basics of trademarks, including what they are, the benefits of federal trademark registration, and key steps in the registration process. Participants will also learn why choosing a trademark that is legally protectable and federally registrable is important, along with free resources available through the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Live and On-Demand Webinars
Multiple Dates | Online
No matter where you are in the state of Virginia, you can access virtual training programs and seminars on a variety of topics including business planning, marketing, management, legal considerations, accounting and bookkeeping, financial analysis, technology, access to capital, and business basics.
Hosted by the Virginia SBDCs (Small Business Development Centers)
Upcoming Chamber of Commerce Events
Chamber of Commerce Events
Multiple Dates | Various Locations
Many of Chamber of Commerce organizations host monthly networking events and ongoing training opportunities for businesses of all sizes and types.
Stay up to date on RISE Events
Find out what’s happening in the RISE Southern Virginia ecosystem on the RISE Meetups page.