Entrepreneurial Training Fund and Consultant Advisory Services

Entrepreneurial Training Fund (ETF)

CBDC offers individualized training opportunities to existing clients as well as group training to clients and other small business owners.
Eligible Activities – Entrepreneurial Training Fund

Eligible training and counselling activities may include:

• Training courses offered via the Internet or correspondence;
• University courses (excluding full-time studies);
• Training seminars offered by business support or business development organizations or associations;
• Hiring a qualified consultant to provide business skills training that result in the transfer of knowledge or skills from the consultant to the client;
• Business skills training and counselling designed to enhance the client’s overall knowledge in business related skills;
• Costs associated with providing business skills training to potential entrepreneurs and/or existing entrepreneurs that can be in the form of, but not limited to, one-on-one consultation, classroom style courses, seminars and conferences, in areas such as:
• Accounting/bookkeeping
• Strategic planning
• Cash management and profitability
• Food and staff costs
• Marketing and promotion
• Business networking
• Food handling
• Public relations and tourism training
• Travel costs associated with taking the training can be reimbursed in extraordinary situations. Keeping in mind the intent is to improve the clients’ business skills.
• Business skills training will generally fall under the following five categories:
• Management
• Marketing/communications
• Finance
• Human resources
• Other business skills

Consultant Advisory Services (CAS)

The Consultant Advisory Services program is offered by ACOA with CBDCs handling the administration and counseling involved. The program gives CBDCs the ability to offer Consultant Advisory Services to small and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations in Atlantic Canada. New and existing clients of CBDCs and ACOA will be able to access technical and financial assistance by engaging consultants to assist them with various issues, opportunities and challenges.

Eligible CAS Activities

• Diagnostic Assessment: This element is to conduct a thorough review of all aspects of an existing operation in order to provide an objective assessment of its current performance, key issues and future prospects. 
• Business Management Development Practices: To undertake a comprehensive review of the management skills of an existing business in order to provide an objective assessment of its current status and identify opportunities to enhance operations/management performances.
• Access to Capital: To source other options for capital beyond government sources of financing.
• Market Readiness/Export Potential: To undertake an objective assessment of an existing company to determine its export readiness and identify areas that require enhancement to successfully enter the export market.
• Specific Studies/Business Plan Mentoring: The consultant will assist the client with the development and initial implementation of a study or business plan.
• Aftercare/Mentoring and Follow-up: To provide mentoring or coaching assistance and advice to a client who has proceeded with the implementation of advice/strategies developed in any of the above described CAS products.

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