Huron County Businesses receive $5,000 Grant from Starter Company Plus Funding Program

November 6, 2020

Huron County, Ontario – The County, in partnership with the Province of Ontario, recognizes the importance of supporting entrepreneurs of all ages through their journey into entrepreneurship and through business expansion. For this reason, the County of Huron and the Province of Ontario have invested in providing training, mentorship and monetary funds to local business owners through the Starter Company Plus program.

Starter Company Plus provides training, mentoring, and grant opportunities up to $5,000 for eligible participants to start, expand, or buy a small business. The program, administered by the County of Huron, aims to address local and/or regional economic development needs, and where appropriate, focuses on specific industries and sectors.

Successful recipients of the latest intake for this program include:

Jolt Fitness (Centralia) – Jolt Fitness is a new business start-up that officially opened its doors on September 28, 2020. They offer group fitness classes, personal training and open gym opportunities. Jolt successfully received the Starter Company Plus micro-financing grant for start-up costs and supporting online training infrastructure.

Coastal Coffee Company (Kingsbridge) – Coastal Coffee Company is a family-owned business with a passion for freshly roasted coffee. They are an artisan micro-roaster, that hand-roasts in small batches using premium direct and fair trade organic Arabica coffee beans. They received the Starter Company Plus grant for a new Coastal Coffee innovative disposable single-use pour over coffee product that will allow them to expand their current market.

Starter Company Plus program participants were required to submit a formal application, which included a business plan and cash-flow projections as well as participate in training sessions. The successful recipients were selected by the Grant Review Committee after delivering a 10-minute pitch for their business start-ups or expansion concepts.

The next intake for the Starter Company Plus program will officially launch on November 9, 2020, with a deadline for enrollment of November 25, 2020. The program will last approximately three months and will provide support for developing a business plan, access to training on all aspects of operating a business, ongoing support for running a business, and the potential to receive a $5,000 grant.

For more information about the Starter Company Plus program, please visit ecdev.huroncounty.ca or contact Patrick Donnelly, Entrepreneur & Business Coach, at 519.524.8394 ext. 3307 or by email at pdonnelly@huroncounty.ca.

The County of Huron asks the community to continue respecting all public health guidelines, including performing hand hygiene, practicing physical distancing, wearing masks and staying home if ill. Stay informed on the COVID-19 situation in Huron County by visiting the Huron-Perth Public Health website.

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For more information contact:

Jim Ginn, Warden
519.524.8394 (ext 3224)
warden@huroncounty.ca