Community Futures Grenville Innovating to Support Local Businesses

Annual Meeting held on Friday!

Kemptville – Community Futures Grenville gathered on Friday in Kemptville with business owners, volunteers and community partners to mark the end of a successful year supporting small businesses in Grenville County. The Annual Meeting celebrated local business successes and exciting new initiatives.

In 2023-24, the organization launched the Community Futures Grenville Initiative, an economic development funding program supporting strategic economic development projects. They also developed three new loan products to assist local businesses; a CIP-matching loan to support businesses with approved projects through their municipal Community Improvement Plan, a not-for-profit loan for revenue-generating social enterprises with a not-for-profit structure, and a Recovery Loan, to assist businesses in refinancing their Regional Relief and Recovery Loans.

Community Futures Grenville is one of 36 organizations in southern Ontario, delivering the Community Futures Program. This is a community-driven economic development initiative designed to assist communities in Canada’s rural areas in developing and implementing strategies for dealing with a changing economic environment. This program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

In the last year, Community Futures Grenville disbursed loans to 25 local businesses with financing valued at over $2.7 million and impacted the creation or retention of 73 jobs. Its free business advisory services provided coaching to 151 businesses, impacting 182 jobs. Through the new Community Futures Grenville Initiative and other special projects, the organization invested over $15,000, leveraging more than $150,000 in collaboration with a total of 103 local partners.

Jen Barrer of Sew Kool Embroidery, and Tina Murray of The Village Pantry Spencerville, shared their experiences as successful entrepreneurs working with Community Futures Grenville. Jen Barrer spoke about her experience obtaining a Community Futures Grenville loan to purchase Sew Kool Embroidery, “They were able to provide all the paperwork and guide us through the process, and it was just fantastic.” Tina Murray added, “They are active in the community that they work in and that they do business in, and that is so important for small businesspeople.”
Community Futures Grenville welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors. Ryan Hreljac, a highly-skilled, innovative not-for-profit leader working both locally and globally, and founder of Ryan’s Well Foundation; Abby McIntyre, an award-winning communications professional with extensive governance experience; and Alan McKay, a cybersecurity professional with a longstanding commitment to community volunteerism.

“It has been an honour and privilege for me to serve as Director and Chair of Community Futures Grenville,” said Cathy Sheppard, outgoing chair. “This organization has assisted so many of our local businesses over the years, providing accessible, flexible loans to meet their needs. It’s so rewarding to drive through the community and see the results on the ground of the Community Futures Program every day.”

Quick Facts:

• For nearly 40 years, the Community Futures Program has been a community-driven, economic development initiative designed to assist communities in Canada’s rural areas to develop and implement strategies for dealing with a changing economic environment.
• Sew Kool Embroidery is a Kemptville-based family-run business providing high-quality embroidery, sublimation and pressing on a wide range of clothing and textiles to meet your marketing and branding needs.
• The Village Pantry is Spencerville’s longstanding and beloved Main Street general store, deli and bakery; famous for its irresistible cinnamon buns and mouthwatering pizzas.

Associated Links:

• Community Futures Grenville
• FedDev Ontario
• Sew Kool Embroidery
• Village Pantry Spencerville