There is a VAAD in every neighborhood and that is what the neighborhood relies on. Usually the Rabbonim in the neighborhood are tied to the Vaad. This is how they operate, they charge both the stores and the kehilah for their services and that is how the Vaad Hamachshir gets paid his big bucks. In some communities the Vaad is run very well, and the monies spent are well worth it, in some not so much.
Unfortunately if you want a hechsher in order to make money, that is the way the game is played. There are no separate plans for New business or small business owners. It is one size fits all and there are no exceptions. This is the way it is done. There is a fee for the Vaad, and the business pays the Mashgiach. I don’t particularly think this is the proper way to go, because the business then takes on the mashgiach as an employee or a consultant however their accountant wants them to do it. This minimizes the employees for the Vaad, so they don’t have to have employee payroll, tax returns, etc. I don’t think this is fair or the right thing to do. They are collecting huge fees, and it should be run like any other business. In addition, in most cases these mashgichim are neither tested nor trained by the Vaad.