ʔaq'am Business Development Grant Program Deadline EXTENDED

Please note that the ʔaq'am Business Development Grant application deadline has been extended by 1 week to Friday, June 13th.

The ʔaq'am Business Development Grant application packages are available for St. Mary's Band Members to apply for the competitive grant awards process for business start-up or expansion activities.  Members may access a pdf copy of the grant application package below or may access a Word version of the application package by contacting Becky Pelkonen, Director of Community & Economic Development at 250-426-5717 or   .  The deadline for application packages this year is June 6th, 2014.

Theʔaq'am Band Business Development Grant Program is intended to financially support entrepreneurial spirit and activities, which in turn helps to promote the community and economic development strategies of the ʔaq’am Community. Funding, in the form of non-repayable grants, may be provided to assist Band Members in paying for the start-up costs of a new business or to expand an existing business which will have a demonstrated beneficial impact on the community. 

A second aim of the program is to promote detailed research into a proposed business venture to help the applicant determine viability.  Satisfying the requirements of applying for this grant funding will also prepare an individual entrepreneur to seek funding through agencies like Kootenay Aboriginal Business Development Agency (KABDA) from a wider pool of available grant/loan programs.  Agencies like KABDA can also provide business follow-up services to the applicants, and make available their full business library and business advocacy services.