The Jamestown Community Foundation has awarded a grant to the Jamestown Regional Entrepreneur Center, providing targeted support to bolster local entrepreneurship and small business development. The award, announced on November 9, 2025, will fund expanded programming, direct startup support, development of mentor networks and acquisition of equipment to help early stage firms move from concept to operation.

The center plans to use the funds to scale workshops and training sessions for prospective business owners, enhance one on one advising for founders, and upgrade shared equipment and workspaces that startups rely on during their first months. Organizers describe the grant as part of ongoing local efforts to increase the survival rate of new firms and to broaden access to technical and business expertise in Jamestown and the broader Stutsman County community.

Local officials and entrepreneurs have framed the grant as a practical step toward addressing barriers that often impede small business growth in rural communities. By investing in programming that covers business planning, financial modeling and market testing, the center expects to lower startup costs and shorten the time it takes founders to reach revenue milestones. The mentor network component is aimed at connecting new entrepreneurs with experienced business leaders who can provide industry guidance, customer introductions and operational advice.

Beyond immediate services for founders, the grant is intended to have ripple effects through the local economy. Enhanced startup support can increase new firm births, which contributes to job creation and diversified local employment opportunities. Upgraded equipment and shared workspaces will also reduce capital expenditure needs for early stage businesses, making entrepreneurship more accessible to residents without significant upfront resources.

The award follows a series of community initiatives focused on economic resilience and small business retention. Local stakeholders see the grant as complementary to existing workforce and business development efforts, aligning with city and county priorities to encourage home grown enterprises and stabilize the local tax base. The center’s expanded offerings are expected to attract entrepreneurs from across Stutsman County, not solely from Jamestown, reinforcing the center’s regional role.

For residents and prospective business owners, the immediate next step will be to monitor the Jamestown Regional Entrepreneur Center’s schedule for new workshops and mentorship enrollment. Officials say the grant will be deployed over the coming months to implement programming and procure necessary equipment, with the goal of delivering measurable support to startups and strengthening the community’s small business ecosystem.