Frequently Asked Questions

What is the RRVEC?

The Rock River Valley Entrepreneurship Center (RRVEC) was created by Rock Valley College under a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. RRVEC is a regional hub for coordinating small business and entrepreneurship development activity, building on the existing DCEO infrastructure of the Small Business Development Center Network (SBDCs), the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), Technology Enterprise Centers (TECs), International Trade Centers (ITCs) and NAFTA Opportunity Centers. The mission of the RRVEC is to target high-growth potential start-up or high-growth existing enterprises and assist them in developing into economically viable and sustainable companies that will grow and create jobs in the Northern Stateline Region.

What are its boundaries?

The RRVEC service territory encompasses the Northern Illinois Stateline Region which includes the counties of Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago.

Who are the regional partners in the RRVEC?

RRVEC is supported in its efforts through board membership and referrals from several collaborative partner organizations in the community serving small businesses and entrepreneurs.

1. AgTech New Uses Entrepreneur Development Center
2. Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce
3. Boone and Winnebago Workforce Investment Board (WIB)
4. Byron Chamber of Commerce
5. City of Rockford-Community and Economic Development
6. Freeport Area Economic Development Foundation
7. Greater Rochelle Economic Development Corporation (GREDCO)
8. Growth Dimensions of Belvidere/Boone County
9. Highland Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
10. Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
11. Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center (IMEC)
12. Manufacturers Alliance of the Rock River Valley (MARRV)
13. Northern Illinois University-University Outreach Services
14. Ogle Economic Development Corporation
15. Rock Valley College Procurement and Technical Assistance Center (PTAC)
16. Rock Valley College Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
17. Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC)
18. Rockford Area Ventures (RAV)
19. Rockford Chamber of Commerce
20. Rockford Local Development Corporation (RLDC)
21. Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), Northern Ill. Chapter 574
22. Stateline Angels
23. University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford
24. Winnebago County

How does RRVEC differ from existing services?

The RRVEC serves as an umbrella organization in the region to coordinate local, regional and statewide services and programs currently available to entrepreneurs providing targeted specialized one-on-one services to start-up or existing small and medium sized businesses (500 employees or less) with the potential for rapid, sustainable growth.

Who manages the RRVEC?

Daniel Cataldi is the Director of the RRVEC. He is responsible for assessing the needs of clients, coordinating and tracking the delivery of services throughout the network, and qualifying & submitting challenge grant applications to the awards subcommittee of the RRVEC Board. RRVEC Board members oversee the center’s administrative functions to ensure appropriate client service coordination among the regional partners. An awards sub-committee, comprised of five board members, reviews candidates for the DCEO “challenge grant awards”.