Farmville Downtown Partnership to Be Managed by Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce

The Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce signed an agreement to manage Downtown Farmville for the upcoming year beginning August 1st. The agreement will effectively ensure that the responsibilities of the Program Manager position within FDP are carried out by the Chamber staff. These responsibilities include social media, administrative tasks, and grant management.

“The missions of the two organizations are complimentary. Having the Chamber manage FDP is an opportunity for FDP to continue carrying out the grants and programs that it has become known for and serving the merchants and residents of the Downtown area in a fiscally responsible way,” stated Farmville Downtown Partnership President, Jen Cox.

FDP is currently without a person in the Program Manager position, a position that will not be needed while under contract with the Chamber. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chamber was previously in search of an Executive Director, but the organization has currently halted their search. Anne Tyler Paulek is currently serving as Interim Executive Director for the organization. The challenges of COVID-19 necessitated the need for the boards of both organizations to think differently about their roles as nonprofits and how to better align resources now and in the future. Both organizations agreed it would be mutually beneficial to enter into a partnership in which the Chamber will manage FDP.

Anne Tyler Paulek, Interim Executive Director of the Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce, commented, “We are excited to begin this new collaboration with FDP and we look forward to beginning to work on their upcoming projects. We are pleased to announce that with this collaboration, members of FDP will receive a discount on their Chamber membership, which will be a special benefit for them of being part of both organizations.”

Not unlike other nonprofits or businesses, the boards and staff of both organizations are currently tackling the challenges of fundraising during the pandemic. The collaboration is a cost-saving measure for one organization and a revenue generator for the other, a collaboration that will ensure that both organizations continue their work and to serve the Farmville area.

The Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce strives to improve the lives of those living and doing business in this community. Alongside it’s members, the chamber provides educational initiatives, promotes tourism, serves as an advocate for local business and seeks opportunities to aid a diverse and growing population.

Farmville Downtown brings together the residents, merchants, and students of Farmville to preserve downtown’s role as the center of our historic community, and to plan for the future of Farmville as an exciting and profitable place to live, learn, open a business, and visit.