About Fairfax CORE
Our mission is to help entrepreneurs and business owners at all stages find and connect with the right resource at the right time.
We provide entrepreneurs, prospective business owners, and businesses at all stages with free, easy access to the help and information you need – when you need it.
What is Fairfax CORE?
Fairfax CORE (Connecting Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs) was created to address the challenges of starting and growing a business.
Fairfax County values its business community. Small businesses make up approximately 92% of our business community. The success of these businesses is as crucial to our community as the success of our larger established employers. Learn more about Fairfax County.
The process of starting a business can be daunting. Growth, as welcome as it is, brings new challenges. Fairfax County is home to numerous resources to help businesses at all stages.
Fairfax CORE is a collaborative effort to promote entrepreneurship resources within and proximate to Fairfax County. Content was created, and is managed by, the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives, Small & Local Business Development Division., with support by the Fairfax CORE Advocacy Team.
Because every business and every location is unique, information provided on these pages is general, and intended to help you find the best source of information and support at the time that you need it.
Connecting Opportunities and Resources for Entrepreneurs
Fairfax CORE links a large network of primarily nonprofit service providers offering a wide variety of free business-support services. Business owners and prospective business owners can find and connect with resource partners who provide free assistance at every stage from conceptualization through business transfer.
CORE Services
Our network resource partners provide a wide range of business-related services, including:
- Business planning
- Loans and financing
- Education and networking
- Business support services
- Licensing and permitting guidance
- Start up, incubation, and acceleration services
- Government contracting support
- Location guidance
- and more
The Fairfax CORE Advocacy Team
Cindy Butler
Director
The Women’s Business Center of Northern Virginia
Maria Jose Cantoni
Director
Financial Empowerment Center- Britepaths
Natalie Guilmeus
Economic Development Director
The Town of Vienna Economic Development Department
Timm Johnson
Director
The Mason Small Business Development Center
Evan Kaufman
Executive Director
The Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation
Karen Smaw
Director, Diversity Business Investment and Entrepreneurship
Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
Nicole Toulouse
Senior Assistant Director of Economic Development
Fairfax City Economic Development Department
Language Translation
Fairfax CORE is being translated through “machine translation” powered by 
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By using the translation service, you are asking for pages on this site to be converted into a language other than English. As with any machine translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not fully convert text into its intended meaning. Neither Fairfax County Government nor Fairfax CORE guarantee the accuracy of the converted text nor are we liable for any resulting issues. Graphics with text, PDF files and special applications on this site cannot be translated.
The County codes, regulations, procedures, and other documents are written in English because that is the official language of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Translations of documents into other languages are being offered as a convenience to those who live and work in the County and to those who visit the County. If there is any discrepancy between an English version of a document and a translated version, then the English version will take precedence.