Job Op
Teck offering grants for female entrepreneurs in TR Natassja Anto-Keshen Teck Resources and the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) are joining forces to support local women who have, or are starting their own businesses. The grant will cover tuition and travel expenses for FWE’s four-day Entrepreneur Series program in Vancouver, April 8 to 11, 2014, which aims to connect emerging entrepreneurs with experienced and successful independent businesspeople. The E-Series has a pretty impressive track record. Of the 158 women who have participated since 2002, 90 percent are still in business. Entrepreneurs who participated in the past include: Y Yoga, Flickr, The Cupcake Girls, Webnames.ca, Urban Impact Recycling, Skoah, and Nurse Next Door. Some of those names may ring more of a bell than others, but a quick search online indicates that they’re definitely flourishing! Sponsored by Teck, the FWE is offering 15 grants to women in British Columbia who are seeking mentorship and support to grow their businesses. The grant is for $2,500 with $1500 going to the E-Series itself, and $1000 going to travelling expenses. To guarantee their commitment to the program, participants are required to contribute $500 on top of the grant. This is the first year the FWE has taken a proactive approach to finding applicants in more rural communities. They are seeking women who are looking to expand their existing businesses and who live outside of Metro Vancouver. There is a particular interest in having women from Tumbler Ridge attend this year as Teck has noted many viable business opportunities for emerging female entrepreneurs. If you are unsure if your business meets the criteria, the FWE encourages all serious entrepreneurs to apply online; all applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis.