Home > Grant Program: Funding Your Business

Funding Your Business

One of the greatest challenges faced by micro-preneurs is the lack of adequate funding to start and grow a business, especially in today’s economy.

Your Management Team would like to help our Small Business Members by providing a grant available to for-profit businesses.  The grant program, “Funding Your Business” will be provided twice per year. 

An initial grant of $5,000 will be given away on September 15, 2011.  The Grant Fund will be broken down into the following three grants:

  1. $2,500
  2. $1,500
  3. $ 1,000

To apply for a grant you must meet the following criteria:

  1.  Must be an established start-up business – an entity that has launched and is currently working to generate clients and revenue up to two years in business.  In other words, past the idea stage.
  2. Must have a business plan, or have a plan ready if your grant application passes the initial application stage.  The business plan should be no more than 20 pages with financial documentation.
  3. Must be a YMT Small Business Member, and
  4. Must sign a media release form so we can share your success and business.

Grant process and timeframe:

  1. Application submission               April 1, 2011 – June 24, 2011
  2. Application review                      June 24, 2011 – July 8, 2011
  3. Business plan submission            July 8, 2011 – July 29, 2011
  4. Business plan review                   July 29, 2011- August 19, 2011
  5. Business presentations                 August 22, 2011 – September 2, 2011
  6. Dinner and awards program      September 15, 2011

Judging Criteria:  1st Round:  Your executive summary will be judged on the following criteria:

  1.  Ability to Explain Business Idea
  2. Awareness of Target Audience
  3. Unique Selling Proposition
  4. Knowledge of Competitor
  5. Overall Business Concept

Judging Criteria: 2nd Round:  Your Business Plan will be judged on the following criteria:

  1. Development of product/service
  2. Breakdown of competitors and niche
  3. Awareness of customers and target audience
  4. Knowledge of industry and market research
  5. Management expertise
  6. Reality of the numbers
  7. Overall Business Concept

Judging Criteria:  3rd Round:  Your Presentation will be judged on the following criteria:

  1. Ability to express your business concept
  2. Presence and comfort level presenting to panel
  3. Knowledge and ability to answer questions