VCE Prince William Financial Ed & Housing Counseling

10/22/2026

On 10/20/2026, we marked our fifth week of the Start SMART Small Business program and are thrilled to share that we’ve had a dedicated group of 30 participants showing up week after week, ready to learn, build, and grow.

Over the past five weeks, our entrepreneurs have built a rock-solid foundation by diving into key topics, including:

• Orientation & Business Planning: Setting the stage with actionable action, resource, and funding plans

• Business Structures: Navigating sole proprietorships, LLCs, partnerships, and corporations to choose the right legal fit

• Value Proposition: Crafting unique core offerings and competitive advantages that resonate with target audiences

• Marketing 101: Exploring brand messaging, target markets, and digital/traditional marketing strategies

• Customer Acquisition: Mastering customer discovery, navigating the sales funnel, and building long-term retention

The best part? Watching everyone's business concepts become clearer, sharper, and more refined with each session. We are so proud of this cohort's energy and commitment.

Stay tuned as we dive into digital footprints, financial management, and pitch preparations next!

09/29/2026

Come Work With Us!
VCE Prince William is hiring a part time 30 hr/week Administrative Technician for our Parent Education and VCE administrative reception team. We’re looking for someone with strong administrative and customer-service skills who can support participant registration, communication, payments, scheduling, and day-to-day program operations in the part-time benefitted position. Position closes this Friday.

Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE)-Prince William is seeking an organized, service-oriented Administrative Technician to support the Parent Education Program. This part-time benefitted County position helps families access classes and services while keeping registration, records, class logistics,....

04/08/2026

April is Financial Literacy Month! We are grateful to the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, United Way National Capital Area and Virginia Career Works Northern for the support of the Financial Empowerment Center offering FREE financial coaching, small business coaching, FREE tax preparation, Housing counseling, and FREE classes for individuals and small businesses. United Way of the National Capital Area , Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William
Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William County Government, Virginia

03/10/2026

🏠 Celebrating Local Expertise at the NoVa Housing Expo!
We want to give a huge round of applause to our incredible Master Financial Education Volunteers (MFEVs) for their hard work at the Northern Virginia Housing Expo this past weekend!

A special thank you to Cathy Yelvington for being a powerhouse of information at our booth. Cathy shared a wealth of knowledge with attendees regarding:

🔑 Our First-Time Home Buyer Program

📊 Comprehensive financial education courses

🏠 Vital resources from the VCE Financial Education & Housing Counseling Department

We also want to give a major shout-out to Chuck Botwright, who took to the stage to teach an insightful session on Rental Basics. Navigating the rental market can be tough, and Chuck’s expertise is an invaluable asset to our community.

Our volunteers are the heartbeat of what we do at Virginia Cooperative Extension. Thank you, Cathy and Chuck, for helping our neighbors build a more secure financial future!

Want to learn more?
Check out our upcoming classes and counseling services here: https://www.pwcva.gov/department/virginia-cooperative-extension/financial-education

02/20/2026

The future of Prince William County is being planned today. As the County updates its Comprehensive Plan, community input will help shape smarter growth and stronger resilience.

Be part of the discussion by attending an upcoming public meeting. Learn more about sustainability goals, infrastructure planning, and environmental protections - tell us what matters most to you.

You can also share feedback through the online survey.

Find meeting info and the survey link at PWC Works: pwcworks.pwcva.gov/sustainability-cpa

02/18/2026

VT Giving Day starts at Noon TODAY!!
Hokies! VT Alumni, and Friends of VCE--you can give to Virginia Tech and Virginia Cooperative Extension and benefit the Greater Prince William area by participating in VT Giving Day. A donation, no matter how small matters.
Your donation specific to Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William will benefit local programs
By supporting the Virginia Cooperative Extension and 4-H on Giving Day, you can help us further invest in our outreach efforts. Donations received will be used to fund scholarships to support those needing help to access the local unit's classes and camps.
Thank you for your support!

https://givingday.vt.edu/amb/VCEPrinceWilliam

02/06/2026

Join us there! Virginia Cooperative Extension Prince William
Virginia Cooperative Extension
Prince William County Government, Virginia

If you're a first-time homebuyer looking for a home in Northern Virginia, don't miss our 2 free workshops on "First Time Buying Programs" March 7 at Fairfax High School. The “Inside the Beltway” and "Outside the Beltway" workshops will be moderated by Virginia Housing and include information from AlexandriaVA.gov, Arlington County Virginia – Government, City of Falls Church Government, Prince William County Government, Virginia , Loudoun County Government and Fairfax County Government .

Fairfax County Housing

02/05/2026

From the pitch stage to our dining room table! 🥂

We just received these gorgeous linens from J.DelVacchio Prints, and they are the perfect addition for special dinner occassions. Seeing Jaclyn DelVacchio turn her vision into these beautiful products is exactly why we love the Start SMART program.
This is just the beginning! We’ll be sharing more updates and "glow-ups" from our participants as they scale their businesses.
💻 Browse her collection: www.jdelvacchioprints.com

Note: Commercial products are named in this publication for informational purposes only. Virginia Cooperative Extension does not endorse these products and does not intend discrimination against other products that also might be suitable.

01/12/2026

Capturing the Spirit of the West!
We are bursting with pride for one of our own! This past weekend, Start SMART Pitch Competition participant and talented wildlife photographer Evelyn Parks reached a major milestone.

Evelyn hosted her very first expedition gallery, "The Spirit of the West – Photography Reception," at the wonderful Jirani Coffee House. Her breathtaking images of nature and wildlife truly brought the soul of the wilderness to our community.

✨ A Community of Support
Success is even sweeter when shared! It was incredible to see the Start SMART family show up in full force. Several classmates and our lead instructor, Enica Russell, were there to cheer Evelyn on and celebrate her hard work and artistic vision.

Check out some highlights from the event below! 👇

Join us in the comments! Let’s give Evelyn a huge "Congratulations" on her first successful exhibition! We can’t wait to see where your lens takes you next, Evelyn! 🦅🌲

12/19/2025