Entrepreneurs live at the heart of small-town economic development they recognize opportunities and pull together the assets, resources, and talent needed to create new economic activity. The Rural Center's philosophy embraces the critical need to support people in rural communities who are creating and growing local ventures; these businesses, in turn, become the drivers of a community's economic prosperity.
STEP for Small Business helps communities create a proactive pipeline of support that helps more people succeed at starting or growing a venture. The seven towns participating in this pilot project are Marion, Lansing, Elkin, Star, Siler City, Elizabethtown, and Scotland Neck.