CLINTWOOD, VA – September 2, 2022 – Quality lawn care at an affordable price is what CRC Affordable Quality Lawn Care, LLC strives daily to deliver to its customers in Dickenson and surrounding counties, according to CRC Owner Craig Carpenter.
CRC Affordable Quality Lawn Care LLC was a recent recipient of a $10,000 Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) Seed Capital Matching Grant.
“The VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant Fund was set up to assist entrepreneurs in growing their new businesses,” said Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel. “CRC Affordable Quality Lawn Care LLC has established itself since opening in March and projects three full-time employees within five years.”
Carpenter noted the business officially opened in March and has been growing and adding new customers ever since.
The new business offers lawn care, mulching services, hedge and shrub trimming, weed eating, fall and spring clean-up and brush clearing.
“Mowing your lawn regularly is an important part of lawn care,” Carpenter said, noting CRC offers both weekly and bi-weekly plans. ”Regular mowing helps keep your grass healthy and looking good. It also helps control weeds and pests.”
Competitive rates are offered on mowing and other services and free estimates are offered.
With fall just around the corner, fall cleanup services are available which include:
- Removing leaves and debris from sidewalks, driveways and parking areas;
- Mulching leaves into the garden or compost pile:
- Clearing gutters and downspouts of leaves and other obstructions;
- Removing fallen branches and limbs from yards and gardens; and
- Raking beds and borders for a neat appearance.
Carpenter said he used the VCEDA grant funds toward the purchase of equipment, which he said served to maximize what CRC can do in a day, making the business more efficient.
“It would have been hard for me to be able to purchase the equipment I needed without it,” Carpenter said of the VCEDA seed capital grant.
Carpenter worked with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southwest Virginia Community College (SWCC) in developing his application to VCEDA and received a letter of support from the Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority.
“The Dickenson County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) recognizes that a potential barrier for new business in the community is access to seed capital,” said Dana Cronkhite, Dickenson County economic development director. “We are pleased to work in collaboration with the local community college Small Business Development Centers and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) to assist Dickenson County entrepreneurs with obtaining these funds in order to support business development in our community.”
“This grant will enable CRC Affordable Quality Lawn Care to operate more efficiently and provide affordable, top-notch lawn care service to the residents of Dickenson County,” said Margie Douglass, SBDC program manager at SWCC. “The Seed Capital Matching Fund program has been a great partnership between VCEDA and SBDC and is a win-win for entrepreneurs in the southwest Virginia region. Not only do the grant recipients receive financial assistance through VCEDA, but they also receive valuable tools to evaluate the feasibility of starting a successful business and develop a formal plan of action through the SBDC.”
The business may be reached at 276-244-7750; on Facebook; or through its website at www.crcaffordablequalitylawncarellc.com.
About Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority and Southwest Virginia’s e-Region: The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 1988 to enhance and diversify the region’s economy and help create jobs, markets Southwest Virginia’s e-Region and its focus on electronic information technology, energy, education, emerging technologies, and entrepreneurship. VCEDA is a unique economic development organization that manages funds for economic development projects from a percentage of the coal and natural gas severance taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies that operate in the region. Located in southwestern Virginia, the region includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton. www.vceda.us or www.e-Region.org.
About the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority Seed Capital Matching Grant Fund: VCEDA region for-profit businesses one year and under with less than 10 full-time employees are eligible to apply for dollar-for-dollar matching grants up to $10,000 from the VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Fund. Applicants work with the Small Business Development Centers at Mountain Empire and Southwest Virginia community colleges to prepare the applications to VCEDA that include detailed business and financial plans. Businesses must be located in or plan to operate in the VCEDA region in southwestern Virginia that includes Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, and Wise counties and the City of Norton.