Stay Tuned for Our 2026

Upcoming Events Calendar!

In the meantime, take a look at our events in years past...

2025

Setting S.M.A.R.T. Business Goals Bootcamp

January 2025 - November 2025

Local entrepreneurs gathered at our Setting S.M.A.R.T. Business Goals Bootcamp every quarter in 2025 to establish their 2025 entrepreneurial goals! As they've dedicated the year to taking their business to the next level, we were grateful to provide them with the opportunity to collaborate with one another, hold each other accountable, & cheer each other on.

Securing Business & Personal Credit

February 20, 2025 | Lunch-&-Learn Seminar

We were honored to have 7 17 Credit Union’s Commercial Lending Support Specialist, David Kovacs, as our guest speaker! Entrepreneurs were able to learn practical and strategic ways on how to build a strong financial future for their business through his presentation.

Annual Lender Appreciation Event
February 26, 2025 | Past Times Arcade

We had a blast at our Annual Lenders Appreciation event in February at the AMAZING Past Times Arcade! Special shout out to Farmers National Bank for taking home both the SBA Lender of the Year [awarded to Pete Noll] AND the Economic Development Lender of the Year [awarded to Greg Ensley] awards for 2024! And, a special shoutout is owed to John Montgomery of Your Premier Bank for most referrals of 2024.

Valley Partners' Second-Annual Women's LeadHERship Summit 2025

March 20th, 2025

Over 700 women gathered to celebrate strong, powerful, female leaders in the Valley for Valley Partners' second-annual Women's LeadHERship Summit. The summit included dinner, a panel discussion, Dr. Tonia L. Farmer as the keynote speaker, a live band, women-owned business vendors, and networking opportunities. 

Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant Program

February - March 2025 | Cohort 5

We were honored to graduate 26 entrepreneurs from the fifth cohort of our Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant Program this past winter! These dedicated and hard-working business owners attended 6 courses over the span of six weeks to learn more about accounting & legal business principles, marketing, tax returns, financial statements, legal & insurance principles, business plan development & more. As a result of their completion of the course, each entrepreneur is walking out with an updated business plan & an $8,000 grant to go towards accounting & legal professional services—not to mention the experience of pitching their business idea to a panel of funders!

Entrepreneurship

April 17, 2025 | Lunch-&-Learn Seminar

We are thankful for our wonderful presenters & attendees for joining us this year at our Entrepreneurship Lunch-and-Learn Seminar!

Protect Your Online Business

May 15, 2025 | Lunch-&-Learn Seminar

Special thanks to Zach Feydo of Mot Technology and Kristy Johnson of Platt Insurance for sharing valuable insights with local entrepreneurs at May's Lunch & Learn! Their expert tips on protecting online businesses were incredibly informative and appreciated by all who attended.

Thank You, Youngstown: Partnering for Impact

July 31, 2025

This past July at Penguin City Brewing Co., Valley Partners celebrated the incredible impact we've been able to make thanks to the City of Youngstown’s support and belief in our mission. We were honored to hear directly from local business owners who shared how they've benefited from our strong collaboration with the City. Together, we're driving sustainable economic growth across Youngstown. Thank you, City of YOUngstown, for your partnership!

Seeds for Growth Small Business Dinner

August 20, 2025 | Valley Partners & Huntington Bank

What an incredible evening at Valley Partners' Seeds for Growth Small Business Dinner with Huntington National Bank in August of 2025! The room was filled with inspiring entrepreneurs, great conversations, and valuable connections. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the night a success! Congratulations to our cash prize giveaway winners — we’re so excited to support your journey and can’t wait to see what you grow next!

Thank You, Warren: Partnering for Impact

August 25, 2025

Valley Partners is truly thankful for the incredible experience at our inaugural “Thank You, Warren: Partnering for Impact!” event. The evening was a meaningful celebration of connection, appreciation, and our shared commitment to driving economic progress. It’s a true privilege to work alongside the City of Warren in supporting local businesses and uplifting entrepreneurs across the region. We’re excited for the road ahead & look forward to expanding our impact and helping even more small businesses thrive through this powerful partnership.

Valley Partners' 10th Annual Golf Outing 2025

September 26, 2025

A heartfelt thank you to all of our amazing sponsors, generous donors, dedicated volunteers, and enthusiastic golfers who made Valley Partners’ 10th Annual Golf Outing a tremendous success in 2025! Your continued support helped make this milestone event one to remember! Additionally, special thanks to everyone who participated in the 50/50 raffle, helping raise over $2,500 to support Inspiring Minds and their efforts to purchase a new van for their bright, young, remarkable leaders. With a generous additional donation from Sarah Palmer of Mercer County State Bank, we proudly reached a $3,000 total donation. Everyone's generosity made a real difference in our community!

Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant Program

September - October 2025 | Cohort 6

These passionate and hard-working business owners completed 6 intensive courses over 6 weeks—diving deep into accounting and legal business principles, marketing, tax returns, financial statements, insurance, business planning, and more. Each entrepreneur walked away with a refined business plan, an $8,000 grant to invest in accounting and legal professional services, and the invaluable experience of pitching their business to a panel of funders!

2024

Elevate Your Organization: Business and Accounting Principles for Success

January 11th, 2024 | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

Tim Petrey—Managing Partner at HD Davis CPAs, CEO at White Glove Payroll, and the founder at the Penguin Collective & Incubator—shared key strategies, principles, and best practices to help entrepreneurs take their business to the next level. Areas of discussion included the importance of financial management, understanding financial statements and how they directly correlate to company success or failure, and the business lessons Tim has learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey.

Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant Program

January 16th, 2024 - February 20th, 2024 | Cohort 2

Business owners participated in VP's 6-week Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant program in order to obtain up to $10,000 in grant scholarship for accounting & legal services. The grant was given upon completion of the program, which included attendance of all six classes [one class a week for six weeks] and a completed business plan. Each participant also walked out of the program with a better understanding of business plan development, legal & insurance principles, strong marketing, tax returns, and financial statements. Participants graduated on February 20th, 2024.

Financial Literacy: Budgeting, Saving, & Investing in Your Business

February 22nd, 2024 | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

Mr. Anthony Clark, Branch Manager & Assistant Vice President at Huntington National Bank, presented at February's lunch-and-learn seminar with entrepreneurial tips on budgeting, saving, and investing in your company. 

Business Branding

March 15th, 2024 | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

Noel Powers, founder of NFactor Coaching, shared secrets from America's top brands that would allow entrepreneurs to attract long-term customers, maximize engagements & profits, and become the "go-to" choice in their market.

Valley Partners' First-Annual Women's LeadHERship Summit 2024

March 21st, 2024

Over 350 women gathered to celebrate strong, powerful, female leaders in the Valley for Valley Partners' first-ever Women's LeadHERship Summit. The summit included dinner, a panel discussion, Judge Carla Baldwin as the keynote speaker, a live band, women-owned business vendors, and networking opportunities. 

Entrepreneurship | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

April 18th, 2024

Entrepreneurs attended a free class to learn the roadmap from starting their business to receiving the funding they need. Several professional business advisors presented at the seminar, such as a banker, accountant, insurance agent, and attorney. This seminar was for all aspiring entrepreneurs, startup companies, and existing businesses. Topics of discussion included: process of starting a business, business plan and financial projections, marketing/Sales Strategies, loan programs, & state of Ohio MBE/WBE/EDGE/VFBE certifications.

Sales & Marketing Strategies

May 30th, 2024 | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

Devyn Bellamy, Senior Marketing Manager—Partner Ecosystem, shared new approaches on how entrepreneurs can level up the sales and marketing strategies of their business, detailing techniques that are designed to unlock new ways to generate revenue. This education included tips on how to stay ahead of industry trends, refining sales tactics, and improving every entrepreneur's current marketing strategy.

Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant Program

September 10, 2024 - October 15th, 2024 | Cohort 4

Business owners participated in VP's 6-week Business Accounting & Legal Assistance Grant program in order to obtain up to $10,000 in grant scholarship for accounting & legal services. The grant was given upon completion of the program, which included attendance of all six classes [one class a week for six weeks] and a completed business plan. Each participant also walked out of the program with a better understanding of business plan development, legal & insurance principles, strong marketing, tax returns, and financial statements. Participants graduated on October 15th, 2024.

Shield Your Business: The Power of Proper Insurance

September 19th, 2024 | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

Ellie Platt, owner of Platt! Insurance, presented insurance-focused topics such as risk management, assessing every entrepreneur's business' coverage needs, and different types of business insurance. 

Valley Partners' Ninth-Annual Golf Outing 2024

September 27th, 2024

Valley Partners hosted our 9th annual Golf Outing in September of 2024! We are thankful for those who attended, sponsored, and/or donated to this event—as proceeds were utilized to enhance our efforts for small business lending in order to help emerging, underserved entrepreneurs and businesses secure credit.

Banking with the Valley's Partners: Funders Roundtable Event

October 17th, 2024

Bankers, non-profits/foundations, financial institutions, & municipality representatives attended Valley Partners' Funders Round Table event. We were proud & honored to share the work we've done across the region so far & appreciated those in attendance taking the time to learn more about our impact as a CDFI organization. We are also thankful for our keynote speaker, Shaundretta Boykins—the Ohio Department of Development's Manager of Business Development and Entrepreneurship, for providing valuable information on state-level funding opportunities! We are honored to have her support as she continues to champion & cheer us on.

Legal Business Principles

November 7th, 2024 | Lunch-and-Learn Seminar

Attorney Brittany Brantley shared details on how entrepreneurs can keep their business safe by staying informed on Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting, learning how to avoid penalties such as $500 a day. Additional best practices were shared on how business owners can protect your business the right way, ensuring your entrepreneurial success isn’t threatened by compliance issues.