FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Alex Kuttesch, Montgomery County Business Development Center, (518) 853-8334 akuttesch@co.montgomery.ny.us
Fonda — The Montgomery County Business Development Center (MCBDC) and Montgomery County Soil and Water Department (MCSWD) are administering the second round of the Montgomery County Agriculture Microenterprise Program (MCAMP) that will provide grants to eligible agricultural entrepreneurs and business owners that want to establish or expand an existing business located within Montgomery County.
Applicants must be a new or existing commercial agriculture enterprise with five or fewer employees, one or more of which may be the principals and own the enterprise at time of application.
Applications are available now through the MCBDC on its website, (www.mcbdc.org) or by calling (518) 853-8334. The applicant is required to attend four Entrepreneurial Training Workshops, the first of which is being held on Tuesday, March 26, at 7 p.m., at the County Annex Building (20 Park St.,), in Fonda. Total price for the four courses is $100.
The county is partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension to offer classes that will be held on the following topics — Business Basics, Marketing & Advertising, Record Keeping, Accounting, Taxes and Financing, and Developing the Business Plan.
Applicants must be able to fulfill the 10 percent owner cash equity contribution. Grants are intended as working-capital for equipment, furniture, fixtures, inventory and operation; NOT for construction, reimbursement of existing debt or purchase of real estate.
Applications will be reviewed by the MCAMP Grant Committee, comprised of staff from the MCBDC and MCSWCD, members of the Montgomery County Legislature, members of the Agricultural Economic Development (AED) Advisory Committee and members of the Agriculture and Farmland Protection Board of Directors.
The MCBDC leads all economic growth in the area with financial incentives and a wide variety of assistance that covers everything from planning to training. The MCBDC works with the county’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and Capital Resource Corp. (CRC) to offer tax-exempt bonds with low interest rates. The center also actively seeks grants for economic development, transportation, disaster mitigation, recreation and other quality-of-life issues that create incentives.
For more information, or a grant application, please contact the MCBDC, the MCSWD at julicia.myers@ny.nacdnet.net or Cornell Cooperative Extension at nt375@cornell.edu.