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Resources for Indigenous Businesses

Resources for Indigenous Businesses

The Indigenous economy is continuing to grow rapidly. Indigenous entrepreneurs are creating businesses at nine times the rate of non-Indigenous Canadians. However, even with their projected growth, according to the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA), Indigenous entrepreneurs face challenges that other businesses don’t.

Many Indigenous entrepreneurs come from lower-income situations, limiting their ability to build the equity needed to invest in a business. Also, many Indigenous communities aren’t equipped with the basic infrastructure to support businesses, such as reliable internet and working spaces.

5 Things to Know Before Getting Started with eCommerce

5 Things to Know Before Getting Started with eCommerce

ECommerce has opened a whole new world for small businesses when it comes to selling their products and services. While eCommerce may fit your business model, and you may be able to reach customers across the globe, it creates a lot of competition for your business. It's estimated that there are 12 - 24 million eCommerce websites worldwide. This means that you not only need to be found within a crowd, but you also need to prove that your product is the best option. 

It is important to plan ahead and get a leg up on your competitors for your eCommerce business to be successful. So, to get that necessary head start, here are 5 things you should know before getting started with eCommerce.

Rural businesses in Alberta relied on support from Community Futures through the COVID-19 pandemic

The Government of Canada, through PrairiesCan, launched the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF). This program supported small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that faced challenges during the pandemic. Many Alberta businesses needed financial relief. In order to meet those needs, we partnered with the Community Futures Network of Alberta and 27 local offices to deliver RRRF support in rural areas.

Community Futures in Alberta were able to:

  • disburse over $85 million in loans
  • support over 1,700 businesses
  • help support over 9,500 jobs

Way to go Community Futures of Alberta for the success in delivering the RRRF loans.

Read the full article here: https://www.canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development/campaigns/success-stories/alberta/rural-businesses-support-community-futures-covid-19-pandemic.html

Check out the success video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewv1ir5avyI

Grow Your Business Online Grants available for small businesses on June 27, 2022

As part of the Canada Digital Adoption Program, the Government of Canada has partnered with Business Link and Digital Main Street to deliver the Grow Your Business Online grant to small businesses across Alberta.

Eligible businesses will receive a micro-grant of up to $2,400 to help with costs related to adopting e-commerce, with support provided from a network of E-commerce Advisors. The Grow Your Business Online Grant will provide small businesses in Canada with $1.4 Billion in grants. Please note, the grant is administered by Business Link and is not administered by Digital Main Street.

Community Futures Central Alberta now accepting applications for the Capital Growth Initiative (CGI)

Funded by the Alberta Government, Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Innovation, Capital Growth Initiative (CGI) provides flexible low-interest small business loans and business advisory supports to women entrepreneurs in rural Alberta and will give women entrepreneurs easier access to capital to start or grow their businesses in the local community. 

For more information on eligibility visit:

https://central.albertacf.com/services/capital-growth-initiative-loan

SMARTstart program celebrates successful first year

SMARTstart program celebrates successful first year

On June 8th we came together as a SMARTstart community to celebrate our entrepreneurs and thank our mentors and sponsors for their contributions.

A total of 8 entrepreneurs registered in the program in its inaugural year.  As part of the program 13 jobs were created/maintained, 3 new businesses were launched, 4 businesses were maintained, and 55 leads were created for our workshop presenters.

Want to see your success story here?

Give us a call, send us an email, or drop in for a chat.

Contact Us

5013 49 Avenue
Red Deer, AB  T4N 3X1
P: 403-342-2055
E: central@albertacf.com
  

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Communities Served

Alhambra, Bearberry, Benalto, Bergen, Betula, Bowden, Burnstick Lake, Campaign, Caroline, Carstairs, Cline River, Condor, Cremona, Crump, Dickson, Didsbury, Doan, Eckville, Elkton, Harmattan, Innisfail, James River Bridge, Leslieville, Markerville, Nordegg, Olds, Penhold, Pine Lake, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, Shawtz, Spruce View, Stauffer, Sundre, Sylvan Lake, Water Valley, Wessex, and Westward Ho.