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Services
Counselling
Assistance
This is the most common type
of assistance and is usually in the form of advice to the
new entrepreneur as well as the established business person.
When particular problems arise,
solutions and plans of action are specially designed to deal
with them. If while counselling the client it is determined
that the services of other agencies are required, arrangements
will be made to obtain those services.
In order to
ensure a complete counselling program, every attempt is made
to follow-up the initial call or visit.
Technical
Assistance
We assist in the preparation of complete business plans essential
to the success of any business venture.
We help new
and existing businesses in preparing loan and grant applications
to government agencies.
We provide counselling
services of a consulting nature, which take the form of advice
or recommendation for specific action.
Our aim is to
promote maximum client participation in the evaluation of
a project. The client must agree to take an active part in
his/her study.
Financial
Assistance
The maximum amount of funding available to a borrower is $150,000
under the CBDC loan program, $20,000 under the SEED loan program,
and $5,000 under the SIB loan program. The minimum interest
rate for CBDC loans is eight percent, while SEED loans are
set to two percent above the prevailing prime rate and SIB
loans are interest free. A training allowance of $2,000 is
also available to successful SEED applicants. Please note
that SEED loans are available to start-up applicants only,
except in the case of applicants under 35 years of age, who
can also use the funds to expand or modernize their business.
SIB loans are for "returning" students only. Last,
but, not least, to qualify the proposed business project must
satisfy certain criteria:
- The business must be based
in Hants-Kings.
- It must create employment
for at least one Hants-Kings resident.
- Applicants should be providing
adequate equity in the business project.
- Applicants requesting financial
assistance must have exhausted other conventional sources
of financing.
- The business proposal must
be sound and viable in the market place.
The existence of any or all
of the above criteria does not in itself guarantee approval
by the Board of Directors.
Self Employment
Benefit Assistance
The SEB Program is a tool designed to encourage entrepreneurial
spirit in unemployed persons. It is the form of income, counselling,
training, and technical assistance.
Employment
NS funds the program and ultimately determines eligibility.
Applicants must be referred directly or indirectly by an external
case manager.
Applicants complete their proposal,
including a number of self-assessment tools and a summary
of their business concept, with the assistance of an assigned
business counsellor.
The CBDC assesses
the proposal and makes a recommendation as to the proposal's
viability. CBDC monitors and assists each individual on this
program monthly.
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