The Collective

The Collective is addressing the gap in professional development and access to education for underserved young adults in Roanoke, VA. Approximately 22% of Roanoke’s population lives below the poverty line, with a disproportionate number of young adults aged 18-24 facing barriers to career advancement and education. Many are either underemployed or not participating in the workforce at all, contributing to a cycle of poverty.

The Collective offers low-cost, accessible programs that help close this gap by providing young adults with valuable skills and resources. Through affordable coworking memberships and workshops in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, career development, and mentorship, The Collective equips participants with the tools they need for success. These programs are specifically designed to be accessible, ensuring that underserved young adults can participate, regardless of their financial situation.

By offering these opportunities, The Collective empowers young people to overcome economic barriers, gain professional experience, and build sustainable careers. In doing so, The Collective not only supports individual growth but also strengthens the local economy by creating a more skilled and engaged workforce. The programs play a crucial role in fostering long-term community development, ensuring young adults in Roanoke have access to the education and opportunities they deserve.

At The Collective, we offer educational workshops that help individuals enhance their entrepreneurial spirit and leadership skills. Participants engage in discussions on financial literacy, website coaching, expanding entrepreneurial mindsets, and models, while also working together to strengthen the community they serve through our Lunch & Learn and Creative Conversation programs. This year alone, these programs have reached over 180 people.

Our resources elevate leadership qualities, providing participants with the knowledge and tools to not only advance their own goals but also support others in their journey to become effective leaders and entrepreneurs. By building a stronger foundation for personal and community growth, The Collective empowers young adults to lead, innovate, and create lasting change.

Our solution serves young adults, primarily aged 20-40, with a focus on African American men and women in the Roanoke community and surrounding areas. This demographic is often underserved, facing barriers to professional development, entrepreneurship, and access to resources that can enhance their financial literacy, leadership skills, and entrepreneurial opportunities.  Many of these individuals encounter challenges such as limited access to affordable education, mentorship, and community-driven resources. The Collective addresses these needs by offering low-cost workshops, professional development programs, and a collaborative space where they can learn, grow, and build connections. Our programs provide essential tools and guidance to help them become leaders in their fields, and pursue professional opportunities that support both personal and community-driven growth.

Our team is deeply connected to the Roanoke community and surrounding areas, whether we are natives, long term transplants, or graduates of local colleges and universities. Our connections to the area ensure that our solution is rooted in the needs and experiences of the people we serve. The Collective's leadership, including collaborations with local organizations such as We Charm, Virginia Tourism Corporation, and Let’s Conquer Fitness, reflects our commitment to the community. These partnerships help us provide workshops on mental health, e-commerce, fitness, and creativity, directly addressing the needs of local entrepreneurs, small business owners, and creatives.

We've engaged over 300 stakeholders via methods that invite direct feedback and create opportunities for community members to share their challenges and aspirations. These interactions inform our programming, ensuring it is relevant and accessible.

Additionally, we partner with local schools, universities, and non-profits like Goodwill and United Way to further empower youth and underserved populations. Through these efforts, we provide spaces for learning, networking, and growth, amplifying community voices in the design and delivery of our programs. This approach ensures that The Collective is not only meeting current needs but also fostering long-term community-driven change.

Since our official launch in 2022, The Collective has hosted over 50 unique workshops and events, engaging more than 300 individuals in the Roanoke community and surrounding areas. Through these efforts, we’ve built a foundation of trust and impact within the community, setting the stage to enhance our business model, attract new supporters, and forge partnerships with strategic sponsors.

Website: https://www.thecollectiveroa.c...

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Our solution is deeply rooted in the community, emphasizing small-group, personalized engagement over large-scale, impersonal methods. At The Collective, we take a people-first approach centered on relationship building, creating safe and accessible spaces for entrepreneurs, creatives, and small business owners to grow through interactive workshops, mentorship, and collaboration.

Unlike others focusing on virtual or broad-scale interactions, we prioritize intimate group settings to foster meaningful connections and deliver tailored, actionable strategies. Our hands-on workshops, covering topics like financial literacy, website development, and business planning, equip participants with the skills and networks needed to achieve immediate and lasting results.

This hyper-local, community-driven model generates a ripple effect, as participants become leaders who mentor and uplift others, cultivating a network that continuously shares resources and knowledge.

By demonstrating our approach's success in Roanoke, we hope to inspire similar initiatives in other underserved communities. This model has the potential to transform professional development by showcasing the power of hyper-local, relationship-focused support to create sustainable, widespread impact.

Our impact goals focus on fostering entrepreneurship, enhancing professional development, and providing accessible resources for underserved individuals in Roanoke and surrounding areas. We aim to empower community members through education, collaboration, and resource-sharing to create sustainable economic growth and opportunities.

To measure our progress, we track several key metrics:

• The number of individuals who tour or explore The Collective, reflecting community interest and awareness.
• Attendance at events and workshops held at The Collective, highlighting engagement with our programs.
• Registration for coworking memberships, demonstrating the value of our space as a resource hub.
• Rentals of our space on a weekly, monthly, and annual basis, indicating its utility to entrepreneurs and creatives.
• The success of community businesses that participated in our workshops, measured by their growth, new initiatives, or increased revenue.
• Website visits and podcast viewers, showcasing our ability to reach and educate broader audiences.
• Partnerships established with other businesses and organizations, reflecting our collaborative efforts to expand resources and support for our community.

By consistently monitoring these metrics, we assess the effectiveness of our solution and adapt strategies to maximize impact and ensure alignment with community needs.

Our team is currently consisted of 3 contractors including an Account Executive, Director of Brand Engagement, Audio & Visual Engineer, and the CEO who is also the founder. Additional contracts such as two Graphic Designers, Photographers, and Videographers support our work as needed.

Born out of a survival idea during the pandemic, The Collective was intentionally created in the Northwest Roanoke community to increase equity, access, and inclusion and to provide underserved communities with resources and impactful experiences. Today after four years of operations, The Collective is the only space of its kind in Roanoke, and is especially unique in its role serving the Northwest Roanoke community. 

Our team is currently composed entirely of African American members, with a 80% female to 20% male ratio. By recruiting talent from within our community and personal networks, we ensure that our team reflects the diversity and lived experiences of the populations we serve. This approach helps foster shared values, cultural understanding, and a unified commitment to excellence.

We actively minimize barriers to opportunity by creating an equitable hiring process, prioritizing accessibility, and offering professional development opportunities to team members. Additionally, we cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment by encouraging open communication, providing mentorship, and celebrating the unique contributions of each individual on our team. This intentional approach ensures that all team members feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed.

Revenue Streams:

The Collective generates revenue through a mix of services and community-driven initiatives:

• Space Rentals: The Collective offers coworking areas, a podcast studio, a boardroom, and retail spaces for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and creatives. Rentals are available on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

• Memberships: Affordable coworking memberships provide access to shared office space, amenities (like free coffee, Wi-Fi, and printing), and benefits such as fitness classes and entrepreneurial workshops. These memberships cater to freelancers, small business owners, and remote workers.

• Workshops and Programs: The Collective hosts educational workshops on topics like entrepreneurship, financial literacy, e-commerce, and creative development. These programs are designed for local entrepreneurs and creatives and are funded through participation fees or community sponsorships.

• Collaborations and Partnerships: Through partnerships with local organizations and businesses (e.g., fitness classes with Let’s Conquer Fitness and mental health workshops with We Charm), The Collective expands its offerings, generates additional revenue, and strengthens community connections.

• Grants and Donations: As a non-profit, The Collective seeks funding from grants, donations, and corporate sponsorships to support its mission and ensure accessibility for the community.

Cost Structure:

• Staffing: The Collective employs a full-time manager and other staff for operations, including event coordination, community outreach, and program facilitation.

• Maintenance and Operations: Ongoing costs include space maintenance, utilities, supplies, and equipment upgrades, such as improvements to the podcast studio.

• Program Costs: Expenses related to facilitating workshops and programs include materials, guest speakers, and other resources.

By balancing service offerings with external funding, The Collective sustains its mission of supporting Roanoke's creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

As a grassroots organization deeply connected to the Roanoke community and surrounding areas, The Collective is dedicated to hosting creative and innovative fundraisers that provide community members with valuable exposure and experiences while supporting meaningful causes. We rely on both monetary and in-kind donations to sustain our mission.

In 2023, The Collective was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Roanoke Department of Economic Development to hire an employee for organizational management. This grant is renewable annually based on our success. Additionally, our membership model and space rentals have generated over $14,000 in 2024, directly supporting our operations.

We are applying to the Truist Foundation Inspire Awards because this opportunity aligns with our mission to provide exposure, empowerment, and education to at-risk youth, families, and entrepreneurs in low-income neighborhoods. Funding from this grant would enable us to scale our efforts, enhance our operations, and ensure the sustainability of The Collective as a vital community resource. By using this grant to secure opportunities that incorporate technology and data management tools,  it will allow us to significantly improve our operating procedures and maximize impact. With access to advanced tools and technological mentorship and education, we could better track program metrics and analyze community needs to design better programs. These insights will allow us to refine our offerings, attract strategic partners, and measure long-term success.