Grants for Young Entrepreneurs From OSBSC

Wednesday, 16 December 2015 09:09

The Oxford Small Business Support Centre is encouraging young entrepreneurs to do business in Oxford County with a grant opportunity.

The Oxford Small Business Support Centre has given one deserving young entrepreneur a grant through their Oxford Young Entrepreneurs program.

Amelia Herman of Fractaline Terrariums received the grant. Program Coordinator Lindsay Wilson says Herman is exactly the kind of go getter they are looking for. "She's done everything she's been told she should do from high school that will lead her to a good job. So she went to university, she did lots of volunteer work, she had a beautiful well rounded resume and yet that still didn't lead to the dream job she had. So she kind of took those skills she learned and harnessed them to make it a little more powerful through self employment."

Herman's business sells hand crafted live plant terrariums that she says brings a little bit of green into any home.

Wilson says it's important for them to recognize young people who take initiative. "What we hope to do with this grant is really support those people who have left our community for reasons such as education or travel, or really just gaining life experience and then brought those skills back to our community to start a small business because some of the things we're learning, especially about small rural communities, is people leave for education or other reasons and don't bring those skills back."

This grant is available for all small business owners in the community under 30 but they do prefer candidates who have left the county to hone their skills through school or work, or even left simply to gain life experience before returning to the county. "So we're able to make these grants in our community because we're supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, but unfortunately that funding will come to an end as many grants do," Wilson says. "So we're looking to get these grants out to the community before the end of March so I really encourage people to apply quickly because once that date comes those grants will no longer be available."

Interested business owners can learn more about the program HERE