Women Work, and Community awards marketing mini-grants to entrepreneurs in several areas of the state.
Grants worth up to $400 are aimed at helping small businesses with 4 or fewer employees get a boost with their marketing and promotion. Grants are matched by a 25% contribution from applicants and are made possible by support from the Maine Women’s Fund, and in Aroostook County, WAGM-TV who contributes TV ad packages as part of the award and KeyBank.
Recent awardees include:
Central Maine: Sara Dostie of Healing Hands Holistic Wellness and Lynn Walkiewicz of River Dog Designs.
Sarah Dostie, Owner, Healing Hands Holistic Wellness
Aroostook County : Two businesses were awarded television advertising business card packages contributed by WAGM-TV. Willette’s Automotive, owned by Jeff and Jill Willette, will use its ad package to publicize the 10-year anniversary of the business in Presque Isle. Annette Brown of Easton will promote the grand opening of her new business, Ann’s Home and Gift Shop, in May 2012.
Cash grants provided courtesy of KeyBank were awarded to Adrian Boyce of Brothers Rebuilding in Bridgewater to have the business truck lettered and Sharon Jackett of Bright Beginnings Learning Center in Houlton to aid in installing signage and other promotional materials.
Mid-Coast: Joan Fraser of the Bath Sweet Shoppe in downtown Bath will use their mini-grant towards the design and printing of marketing collateral targeting wholesale markets. Jacquelyn George of Friendship received a grant for a print advertising project, targeting new customers for growing her business in Rockland, Abundant Health Acupunture
Joan Fraser of the Bath Sweet Shoppe
The next deadline for applications is on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 for Kennebec and Somerset Counties; Contact Wendy Rose; March 15 for the Aroostook County grants, contact Erica Quin-Easter; and for the Mid-Coast May 7, contact Jenn dobransky.
Applications are welcomed from individual entrepreneurs and small businesses with four or fewer employees as well as business partnerships. Nonprofit groups are not eligible for the mini-grant program. Successful proposals will focus on marketing, branding, and access to markets.
Our thanks to the Maine Women’s Fund, KeyBank and WAGM-TV for their support of this innovative business development strategy. And Congratulations to the awardees!