Business, Law, and Nonprofits
 
September 2025 Newsletter
 
 
Welcome back! We hope you had a nice summer. We will continue our monthly newsletters to keep you informed of legal topics, small business programs, and nonprofit workshops. Please share this newsletter with others! If you have questions, please contact me. And check out our online resources at https://rvalibrary.org/richmond-room/
 
Charlie Schmidt, Law Librarian, 804-646-6500, charles.schmidt@rva.gov

Check out these upcoming small business programs!
Click on the titles to learn more
Brand Camp: Branding Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs
Tuesdays - Sept 9 & 16,
6:00 PM
Main Library, 101 E. Franklin Street

This 2-part course is curated to cover the foundations of brand identity and messaging. Facilitator Carra Roots with Unmute Media will present different approaches and participants will learn the best ways to position their businesses for their ideal audiences. Click on the title above to register! 
Starting a Small Business
Friday, Sept 12,
11:00 AM
Ginter Park Library, 1200 Westbrook Ave
 
This educational workshop will focus on the legal steps necessary to start a small business. Learn the basics of how to set up a business, necessary legal filings, and the differences between entities such as LLC, S-Corp, B-Corp, and more. Also learn how to access sample legal documents such as contracts, MOAs, and licensing agreements using the Library's free resources. Click on the title above to register!
Marketing Essentials for Small Businesses
Tuesday, Sept 23,
6:00 PM
Main Library, 101 E. Franklin Street

You have a great idea, a solid business plan, and are developing an amazing brand. Now how are you going to get customers "through the door" and keep them coming? Join OMBD for this opportunity to learn about and apply basic marketing concepts for promoting your products and/or services.  Leave with the foundation that you need to develop an initial marketing strategy or to enhance the techniques that are already working for you. Click on the title to register!
Grow Your Business Revenue Through Access to Capital
Thursday, Sept 25,
6:00 PM
Main Library, 101 E. Franklin Street

Access to capital is critical for business growth. In this session, participants will learn how lenders evaluate businesses through the Five Cs of Credit and explore the differences between conventional lending and SBA loans. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of financing options available to them and how to position their business for loan approval. Registration required. Click on the title link to register.
Upcoming Nonprofit Program!
Nonprofits: Grant Writing 101
Tuesday, Sept 30,
5:30 PM
Main Library, 101 E. Franklin Street

THIS IS A REPEAT OF OUR POPULAR SPRING PROGRAM! Want some tips on writing proposals? New to nonprofit grant writing? Learn how to write more effective grant proposals! This workshop, hosted with Sage RVA nonprofit consulting, https://www.sage-rva.com/, will also give insight on how to reach funders in the Richmond grantmaking community--and make your proposals stand out!

Space is limited. Click on the tile link to register.
Upcoming Law Library Programs
Know Your Rights: Virginia FOIA
Saturday, October 4,
2:00 PM
Main Library, 101 E. Franklin Street

This Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) workshop, geared towards the general public, brings together lawyers, advocates, and practitioners to walk participants through the Virginia FOIA process. Topics covered include: crafting FOIA requests, negotiating with public bodies, common FOIA violations, and enforcing your rights in court. 
Estate Planning Legal Workshop
Friday, October 31,
11:00 AM
North Avenue Library, 2901 North Avenue

Will or a trust? What’s a Medical Directive? Learn the basics of wills, trusts, and estate planning. The Law Librarian will also show patrons how to find examples of wills, powers of attorney, and other legal forms using Lexis, Westlaw, Gale Forms and other legal research tools accessible for free at the Richmond Public Law Library.
Nonprofit Resource Spotlight!
 
 
The Richmond Public Library is your local access point for the Foundation Center nonprofit grants database! The Foundation Center is the most comprehensive database on U.S. grant makers and their funding process.
 
The database highlights grants for nonprofits and individuals. You can search thousands of Virginia grants based on subject matter, population served, geographic service area, and more. The database also has in-depth information on funders, family foundations, and private foundations that support charitable organizations in the Richmond area.
 
The Foundation Center must be accessed from Main Library (no remote access).
 
Call or email for more information
Carissa Elder
804-646-6500, carissa.elder@rva.gov
 
 
 
Small Business Resource Spotlight!
 
Thinking of starting a business? Or want to grow your existing small businesses?
 
The Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is an organization of 25 local offices across Virginia providing professional business advising, training, and business resources to help grow and strengthen Virginia businesses.
 
Thousands of business owners and managers received one-on-one advising every year, and twice as many business owners attended programs offered by the SBDC. 
 
SBDC professionals assist with business planning, marketing, financial analysis, access to capital, business start-up and other specialized services as requested. 
 
 Click here to for more information and to schedule an appointment.
 
 
 

Standby Guardian and
Power of Attorney
Legal Clinics 
 
The Law Library and the City of Richmond Office of Immigration and Refugee Engagement have teamed up to offer free legal support to immigrant families who may be in danger of detention or deportation.
 
Volunteer attorneys help families draft Standby Guardianships for minor children and Power of Attorney documents to secure property.
 
Clinics are held on the 4th Thursdays of each month from 9am to 12pm. Call 804-646-0145 for information and to make an appointment.
 
 

Looking for Legal Forms?

Need an Operating Agreement for an LLC? How about a Power of Attorney? Maybe you need to write a formal business letter? Next time you need a legal form, check out Gale Legal Forms.
 
Gale Legal Forms is accessible from the library, your home, or office (so long as you access it through the link on the library's website). It is a trusted, vetted source with hundreds of Virginia specific legal forms on a variety of topics.
 
Don't just web search for a "Non-Disclosure Agreement" - you may not know what you downloaded!
Go to trusted sources.
 
Click here to access Gale Legal Forms
 
 
Check Out Our Legal Resource Guide
 
Did you know the Law Library has a Legal Resource Guide?
 
This Guide has information on all the free and low-cost legal services in the Richmond area.
It can be found on the Law Library page in both English and Spanish.
 
The Guide has detailed contact information and links to local legal aid societies, pro bono clinics, and lists legal services by topics. It is helpful tool if you are seeking legal help. It is also helpful for service providers who have clients that may be looking for legal information.
 
Click here to download and view the Legal Resource Guide
 
Richmond Public Library
101 East Franklin Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 646-7223
https://rvalibrary.org/