United Virginia is a state-wide, community-sustained, microenterprise development organization, serving under-resourced entrepreneurs with a peer lending technical assistance program, supplemented by a peer lending fund.

A Peer Lending Pilot Program for Women was completed in May 2010. Three women entrepreneurs have received loans totaling $12,000, and the Peer Lending Program for Women continues with monthly training sessions. Additional programs are in development to serve under-resourced entrepreneurs in urban and rural communities throughout Virginia.

United Virginia is planning for expansion of its Peer Lending Program and will enroll entrepreneurs in two tracks as follows:

Peer-to-Peer Track
* Start-up or early stage business owners
* Requiring business plan and access to network & capital
* Willingness to participate in 6 session/12 week course and continuing involvement in a peer lending support program, on alternating Saturdays
* Individual & group work sessions and use of mentorship during intervening weeks

Fast Track
* Entrepreneurs with existing businesses and business plans
* Requiring access to network &/or capital to grow business
* Willingness to use mentorship support and continuing participation in peer lending support program

The Virginia Microenterprise Fund that United Virginia directs has been established at New Generations FCU and is adapted from the Grameen Bank and faith community lending models, including the Jubilee Assistance Fund. The VMEF is a collaboration of United Virginia's fiduciary partner, Virginia Interfaith Center, and its operational partners, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and New Visions, New Ventures.

Virginia Cooperative Extension is an educational outreach program of Virginia's land-grant universities: Virginia Tech and Virginia State University. New Visions, New Ventures is a regional service provider of the Virginia Enterprise Initiative network of microenterprise development organizations.

Community-based organizations are provide direction for this self-sustaining economic development initiative:

United Virginia/New Visions, New Ventures Operations Management
* Functions include technical assistance for business plan and loan application development; microenterprise development through utilization of financial, human and social capital/networking; organization and coordination of education, training, and mentorship services; and formation and implementation of communications & fund development
* Staff: Rob Martin (Managing Director), Jim Maxwell (Operations Director), Leslie Strickler (Community Affairs Director), Caroline Nowery (Director, Women's Business Center. New Visions/New Ventures)

Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, Incubator, and Fiduciary Agent
* Functions include generating, holding and distributing grant funds
* Staff: Doug Smith (Executive Director), LaTonya Reed (Consumer Affairs Director)

Virginia Cooperative Extension, Education Support & Community Outreach
* Functions include assistance with program hosting and communications
* Staff: Southeast District Extension Agents
* Pilot Program Training location: Richmond City Extension Office/East District Initiative Center
* 701 North 25th Street, located in Churchill at the corner of 25th and M. Streets