Local Sustainability Projects Receive Cash Awards

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Monday, 25 November 2019 08:45

This past year saw over $180,000 in grants and loans given to sustainability projects from the Future Oxford Legacy Fund, 33 jobs were created or maintained within the region as a result of the funding.

OXFORD COUNTY - The Future Oxford Legacy Fund has awarded $182,025 in loans and grants in support of sustainability projects this year.

1909 Culinary Academy, Earthspace Real Estate Inc., Sew Stylish Wedding Works and McNab Transit Sales Corp. are the four recipients for 2019, who were selected by Community Futures Oxford.

General Manager Allan Simm says it feels great to help local businesses.

"The fund allows us to reinforce the vision and mission of the Future Oxford Community Sustainability Plan. We want to nurture a vibrant and a sustainable Oxford that aligns with the plan's three pillars of community, economy and environment."

They received a total $175,000; Earthspace Real Estate Inc in Woodstock received a loan for $50,000. They bought and renovated a retail space on 79 Montclair Drive where nearly half of the building will be dedicated to the anchor tenant, Inside U, while the other half will be for tenants offering complementary health services.

Blandford-Blenheim's 1909 Culinary Academy received a $50,000 loan to help convert an old schoolhouse into a restaurant-style kitchen, private career college and hands-on culinary institute.

Sew Stylish Wedding Works out of Ingersoll were awarded $50,000, which is considered a special loan that helped make a positive succession plan easier for the bridal shop located in the downtown area.

And Ingersoll's MacNab Transit Sales Corp were recipients of a $25,000 loan operating out of a building on 439 Bell Street. They're a bus brokerage company that targets upper and mid-size custom bus market used by mostly tourism operators or private transportation fleets.

Simm says the fund is pretty unique to Oxford County.

"It's great where we can see our entrepreneurs thrive, where we can see our young entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses. It's great. It's an impact on the community, it's an impact to the downtown core, it's helping the future of Oxford and knowing that our businesses are going to be strong and that employment is going to be strong. And that young people are going to want to come and live in Oxford and come back to Oxford and start a family and grow."

33 jobs were created or maintained within the region as a result of the funding.

$7,025 in grants was also distributed to nine non-for-profit projects under the “Community Development Support” funding stream.

The Beachville & District Museum was among the organizations to receive a grant to reorganize its facility, which has a collection of 1,500 artifacts that represent histories from across Oxford County.

Other recipients from around the region included the Norwich & District Museum & Archives who received a grant for $250.00 and the Woodstock Art Gallery, who received a $875 grant for their Summer Art Workshops.

Community Futures Oxford is an independent, non-profit organization committed to entrepreneurship and economic development in Oxford County.

The Future Oxford Legacy Fund is currently accepting new applications from entrepreneurs, businesses and partnerships in need of seed funding to develop new and sustainable community and regional opportunities that help to meet the targets set out in the Community Sustainability Plan. Meanwhile, the “Access to Capital” funding is available year-round.

For individuals or organizations interested in applying for either a capital loan or community development support grant, they can visit here to learn how they can become eligible and access the Future Oxford Legacy Fund application.