OFC gets grant for micro-entrepreneurs
NORWICH – United States Sen. Charles E. Schumer announced Friday a grant for $106,360 awarded to Opportunities for Chenango, Inc., (OFC) in Norwich, by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The grant was made available for use as of Oct. 1.
The grant, written a year ago by OFC’s Economic Development Coordinator Nancy Morey, will create marketing initiatives for local micro-entrepreneurs to expand as well as merge markets where products can be sold in and out of Chenango County.
The two entities are Bullthistle Rag Enterprise and Bullthistle Bounty, both created locally and attempting to capitalize on the county’s official flower. The grant would enable the micro-entreprenuers to access services available to help them start, maintain or improve existing businesses. Programs include technical services, business classes and a textile arts incubator.
An important aspect of the merger will be that Bullthistle will be marketing products locally to grocery stores, gift shops and hospitality services. The project would also use an e-commerce program to help the entrepreneurs sell products online through services such as eBay and online websites for high-end arts and crafts.
OFC Director Craig Cashman says being able to sell products through e-commerce is a great way for more rural regions to be involved. He says many of the residents here can not travel to the bigger cities and need more accessibility to local products.
The goal of getting funding is to be able to sustain the growth of the programming and help a bigger population of people. The Bullthistle Bounty program was a success by selling coupons to consumers from all levels of income families. There is also money to provide further education to people within the grant. Morey says people have been asking about the programs to see if they are continuing and now it is safe to say they are.
“We had almost 100 percent turnout rate for the Bounty program by low income families and we are hoping to be able to bring that back,” Morey said.
ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to provide opportunity for people to make a self-sustaining economic developments and improve quality of life. The awards come from the funds appropriated to the Commission annually by Congress.
For more information call Morey at 334-7114 ext. 295.
The grant, written a year ago by OFC’s Economic Development Coordinator Nancy Morey, will create marketing initiatives for local micro-entrepreneurs to expand as well as merge markets where products can be sold in and out of Chenango County.
The two entities are Bullthistle Rag Enterprise and Bullthistle Bounty, both created locally and attempting to capitalize on the county’s official flower. The grant would enable the micro-entreprenuers to access services available to help them start, maintain or improve existing businesses. Programs include technical services, business classes and a textile arts incubator.
An important aspect of the merger will be that Bullthistle will be marketing products locally to grocery stores, gift shops and hospitality services. The project would also use an e-commerce program to help the entrepreneurs sell products online through services such as eBay and online websites for high-end arts and crafts.
OFC Director Craig Cashman says being able to sell products through e-commerce is a great way for more rural regions to be involved. He says many of the residents here can not travel to the bigger cities and need more accessibility to local products.
The goal of getting funding is to be able to sustain the growth of the programming and help a bigger population of people. The Bullthistle Bounty program was a success by selling coupons to consumers from all levels of income families. There is also money to provide further education to people within the grant. Morey says people have been asking about the programs to see if they are continuing and now it is safe to say they are.
“We had almost 100 percent turnout rate for the Bounty program by low income families and we are hoping to be able to bring that back,” Morey said.
ARC is a federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to provide opportunity for people to make a self-sustaining economic developments and improve quality of life. The awards come from the funds appropriated to the Commission annually by Congress.
For more information call Morey at 334-7114 ext. 295.
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