Community Connections and VBI

Overview

April 19, 2023

What We Will Talk About

• What the Community Connections and Virtual Business Incubator Programs are

• The registration process for the programs

• What the TLT needs to do before the programs are launched

Community Connections

• What is the Community Connections program? Provides professional web hosting

service to non-profit and community organizations for a small fee ($20 per year)

Gives organizations a web presence Gives organizations an opportunity to

increase communication and interaction with members of the community

Community Connections

• What services are provided with a Community Connections account? Web hosting for a web site (up to 20

megabytes of text and graphics) Two permanent email addresses An online mailing list (listserv) that

allows up to 100 subscribers

Virtual Business Incubator

• What is the Virtual Business Incubator (VBI) program? Provides home and micro businesses (5 or

fewer employees) with professional web hosting service

Provides marketing and business management assistance to help understand how to integrate the Internet into their business through Community Readiness Workshops

Virtual Business Incubator

• What services are provided with a Virtual Business Incubator account? Web hosting for a web site (up to 20

megabytes of text and graphics). No charge for a VBI account until June 30th, 2005.

BEV will no longer host the account after June 30th, 2005.

One permanent email address An online mailing list that allows up to 100

subscribers

Community Connections and VBI Registration

Process

• The customer signs up for the program online An email with the registration details is

sent to the registrar BEV will set up a webmail email account

for the registar to use. Webmail makes sharing an email address easier because an email client (like Outlook) is not required to check for email.

Community Connections and VBI Registration

Process • Customer goes to the registrar

Registrar verifies identity of the customer

Registrar prints out 3 copies of the registration email

Customer and registrar sign all 3 copies of the registration email

Community Connections and VBI Registration

Process• The registration email is forwarded

by the registrar to the BEV Printed copies of the registration

email are distributed: 1 copy to the customer 1 copy to the registrar 1 copy is mailed to the BEV.

Community Connections and VBI Registration

Process • After receiving the printed copy of the registration email BEV will: Set up the account Send the customer instructions for using the

account either by email or postal mail Notify the registrar by email that the account is

set up Send the customer a bill. Registrar is NOT

involved in the billing process.

• The registration process is complete!

What the TLT needs to do before launch

• Designate an individual (or individuals) to be the registrar for the county

• Choose a place and time that customers can go to complete the sign-up

• Gather local web design resources• Send any additional policies and

procedures to Jaime at jshetrone@vt.edu

Questions about Community Connections or

VBI?