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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 $20,000 under the Youth
loan program; $150,000 under the First Time Entrepreneur, General Business,
Innovation, and Social Enterprise loan programs; and $5,000 under the SIB loan program.
Interest rates for loans reflect the risk assessment of the proposal while noting the minimum
interest rate for Youth loans is two percent above the prevailing prime rate and SIB loans are
interest free. Please note a training allowance is also attached to some of the loan programs
and 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.
Labour and
Advanced Education 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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