Small businesses in Erris will have a choice of three different initiatives to assist them in strengthening their enterprises in the months ahead.
Under the Erris Business Development Initiatives programme, which was launched last week as part of the Corrib Natural Gas Erris Development Fund, financial support and training is being offered to local businesses to help with start-up costs, website development, and marketing.
The programme, which is being rolled out by Mayo County Enterprise Board in conjunction with the local Údarás na Gaeltachta office and with the support of other local agencies, comprises three separate initiatives. The first is the Erris Business on the Internet initiative, which aims to increase the level of awareness among businesses in Erris of the value of the internet and to enable them to optimise their presence on it and usage of it. Under this strand of the programme, businesses will be offered financial assistance to conduct a website audit for the purpose of developing a website of their own or redeveloping an existing one. There will also be support available for any business that wishes to develop internet marketing applications or other innovative web-related proposals.
The Erris Business Marketing initiative is the second category of support and it will comprise a series of workshops, interspersed with one-to-one advisory sessions. Its purpose is to help local businesses to develop strategic marketing plans, to better equip them to survive in the current challenging economic climate, and to grow into the future.
The final strand of three-pronged programme is the Erris Business Start Programme, through which funding will be available to new and early start businesses that is not generally available to them. The objective of this initiative is to stimulate the establishment of new businesses in the area and to assist fledgling enterprises to get onto a firmer footing. No capital funding will be provided, but assistance will be available for normal costs associated with a start-up, such as office equipment, stationery, accounting systems and initial advertising and promotion.
Frank Fullard, CEO of Mayo County Enterprise Board, called on all businesses in the Erris area to avail of the opportunities this programme presents for them.
For application forms for the Erris Business Development Initiatives, contact the Mayo County Enterprise Board offices on 094 902 2887 or the Údarás na Gaeltachta office in Belmullet on 097 81418.
