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3/28/2000 -- for more information: Mary A. Hansen, Airport & Enterprise Zone Manager |
530/741-6463 |
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TO ONLINE NEWS A new training and loan program was approved today by the Yuba County Board of Supervisors referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Microenterprise Training and Loan Program. The program has been developed through a joint partnership with the County of Yuba, the Yuba College Small Business Development Center, and the Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation, to assist small businesses that do not meet the eligibility requirements of traditional lending institutions. The new program includes both a technical training program and a loan program designed to compliment the existing revolving loan fund programs. A microenterprise is defined as a small business, employing five or fewer employees, and a low budget. In Yuba-Sutter, over 72 percent of the businesses fit this definition. Microenterprises include those people who create their own self-employment jobs, and often hire others. Microenterprises are often overlooked as an economic development strategy, because the enterprise it supports is small. In reality, it is the festest growing job creation strategy in America. The microenterprise training program is designed to give business owners the essential expertise in marketing, research, financial planning, and marketing strategies to help assure success in their business ventures. The training and consulting services will be provided by the Yuba College Small Business Development Center. The training classes or a minimum of 12 contact hours with an SBDC business consultant is a requirement for accessing the micro loan program, which provides loans ranging from $250 to $25,000. The Yuba-Sutter Economic Development Corporation will assist clients in finalizing loan applications and will service the loans approved. The goal of the program is also to target CalWORKs recipients provide them with the opportunity to move forward from welfare to entrepreneurship. The program will collaborate with the workforce development system partners to do outreach and recruitment. The training and loan program has been modeled after the Yuba City Entrepreneurship Program and provides smaller loans with less stringent credit requirements, making business ownership a possibility for clients currently in CalWORKs programs. Scholarships and other discounts are also available to qualified individuals to assist those that may require financial assistance. The first training sessions are scheduled to begin on April 24 with an orientation and actual classes starting April 26. The training consists of 14 consecutive weeks and will be held at the new Sutter County One Stop Center for Business and Workforce Development, located at 800 Plumas Street, Yuba City. Another session is scheduled to begin in September. For further information about the training program or to register to attend, please contact the SBDC at 749-0153. The program was approved through the Yuba County Job Creation Plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors as a result of a successful grant application from the State Job Creation Investment Fund Program. |
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