Marion County is now a proud partner with the Alabama Entrepreneurial Research Network.The Partnership was announced in July, 2009.

The Alabama Entrepreneurial Research Network is a program with three components. One is to provide computers and peripheral equipment, business software, and other business research resources to chambers of commerce, industrial development agencies, or other nonprofit organizations whose mission includes business development in very rural, low income portions of Alabama. These organizations make the resources available to the public for the purpose of encouraging potential entrepreneurs to start a microenterprise, for an existing small business owner to expand, or for other economic development work in the target area. The second component is a strong training emphasis. The staffs of the partner agencies receive training in how to use the materials and the public is offered seminars and workshops. The third component is the AERN website. Many online resources are easily accessible there and the site is designed for ease of use by the lay public.

Charla Lynn, AERN's partner in Marion County and manager of the Collins Life Center, said she's excited to see what the partnership can do for Marion County. "We're real excited about [AERN] coming into our area, and we believe because of the recession that it is going to be a very significant tool to our people in this area to perhaps bring in some new businesses," Lynn said.

Each AERN Center provides a computer along with business planning software to be used by local entrepreneurs, a set of specialized business reference books and someone trained to help entrepreneurs.

Interested parties can go to the AERN website to get more information about the services of AERN.