January 21, 2009
HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS NEWS
OCRA Grant to provide funding for the fifth annual "How to SUCCEED in Business" competition in Logansport and Cass County.
LOGANSPORT, IN / January 29, 2009 - SUCCEED (Stimulating Unlimited Cass County Entrepreneurs & Economic Development) announces the availability of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs Grant (OCRA) to promote an ongoing program for entrepreneurs and students to participate in business planning competition. The OCRA Grant was established by Indiana legislators in 2005. Its purpose is to work with local, state, and national partners in providing resources and technical assistance to aid rural communities in shaping their visions for economic development. The grant is providing funds for the Logansport and Cass County business competition which is in its fifth consecutive year.
A little more about the OCRA grant:
It is more specifically, a Rural Capacity Grant that was awarded to and administered by Area Five Agency on Aging and Community Services. The grant will provide funding to develop a middle school entrepreneurship program, create a private investor network for small businesses, create feasibility workshops for small businesses, sponsor an official SUCCEED orientation program, provide funding for patents, and establish a marketing plan for SUCCEED.
The SUCCEED "How to SUCCEED in Business" annual competition benefits new and future businesses by including a student competition as a part of the overall program. The Business Plan Competition for new businesses and the Inventors, Inventions & You competition for local students provide guidance in the development of business ideas helping participants succeed by emphasizing planning and encouraging creativity. At the January planning meeting, SUCCEED consultant Amy Beechy reported, "The program starts February 2nd when we announce the competition rules and provide information on our new web site. And it will conclude at an awards luncheon on June 16th when the winners will be announced."
Those businesses, educators, parents and students interested can obtain information at the new SUCCEED web site. Entry forms, regulations, a business plan outline and submission details are also posted for both competitions on the new site at www.SUCCEEDinBusiness.org.
The SUCCEED "Business Plan Competition" is for start-up businesses and those companies operating less than two years, with less than 50 employees, and with less than $1 million in gross annual revenue. The winner will receive $5,000 and $1000 in training funds, along with many other valuable business prizes. Entries will be judged by a panel of notable experts from the Logansport and Cass County area. The deadline for entries is May 11, 2009.
The Inventors, Inventions & You is targeted to 4th, 5th and 6th grade students of Cass County schools interested in learning about entrepreneurship. This youth program encourages creativity by requiring the development of an invention and the presentation of the concept to the business community. Direction and instruction will be provided by classes conducted for all entrants. Winners will receive a $100 savings bond along with an opportunity to access a $10,000 fund for those pursuing a patent. Class begins on March 11 with orientation on March 3.
SUCCEED (Stimulating Unlimited Cass County Entrepreneurs and Economic Development) is a partnership that recognizes the value of entrepreneurship in Cass County. SUCCEED partnerships include: Area Five Agency, Logansport/Cass County Chamber of Commerce, Cass County, City of Logansport, Ivy Tech Community College of Logansport, Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation, Logan's Landing, North Central Indiana Small Business Development Center, Memorial Hospital, SCORE Chapter 615, and the Cass County Community Foundation. For more details, contact SUCCEED by e-mail at abeechy@areafive.com.