Self-Employment Assistance Program

Objective

The Self-Employment Assistance Program provides financial assistance for people in receipt of Employment Insurance (E.I.) or without Income who want to start their own business but will normally lose E.I. benefits as a result of this decision.

To encourage individual entrepreneurs to work with local resources to ensure they build viable business plans.

Eligible Participants

To qualify for the Self-Employment Assistance Program individuals must:

• Be members of Six Nations.
• Be a qualified Employment Insurance Claimant or be without income.
• Have no previous participation in a self-employment assistance activity funded by GREAT.
• Have a business plan prior to starting Self Employment Assistance. May seek assistance to develop a business plan (i.e. Business Development Bank of Canada, Two Rivers Development Corporation, Community Futures, etc.).
• Start a new business or take over an existing business in which the individual had no prior ownership.
• Agree to work full time on the business while receiving financial assistance.

Individual must be registered with Grand River Employment and Training (G.R.E.A.T.).

Individual will provide a resume to G.R.E.A.T. at the discretion of the Program and Services Officer, (PSO) after assessment has been completed.

Financial Assistance

• Participants will receive the greater of their E.I. benefits or a basic training allowance. Participants may also be entitled to supplementary allowances.
• Participants without income will receive a basic training allowance and may also be eligible for supplementary allowances.
• Participants may be eligible to receive a contribution of up to $5,000 for the purchase of basic equipment, equity, etc.
• Training allowances depend on a participant’s circumstances and the applicable rates. Allowances are approved according to G.R.E.A.T. policy.
• Financial assistance may be available to cover tuition costs of appropriate training course i.e. bookkeeping.
• While on training, a participant may qualify for a dependent care allowance to pay for supervised care of dependants. The amount will depend on the number of dependants needing care and the number of hours of supervision required up to the maximum rate as established by G.R.E.A.T. policy.
• Special costs related to a disabled participant may be provided if required.
  

Duration

Up to a maximum of fifty-two (52) weeks.

Criteria

1. Participants must identify a business opportunity and with the assistance of local business development resources, develop a business plan.
2. Participants are encouraged to try offering a product or service:
   
   a) that, while locally available, must be imported from elsewhere;
   
   b) that a local company uses on a regular basis;
   
   c) for which there is a high or increasing demand;
   
   d) that would be a more efficient way to produce or lower the cost of an existing product or service;
   
   e) using scrap or waste from other businesses to produce a product;
   
   f) by inventing, producing and marketing a new product;
   
   g) by repackaging an existing product and reselling it.

There are certain business situations considered not suitable which include:

• A business controlled by someone other than the person receiving financial assistance; and
• A business where revenue is mainly from commissions, such as sales commissions.
• A business that is not assessed to meet labour market supply and demand ie.: a new construction company at Six Nations where there are already 25 construction companies in operation and no development taking place in the community.
  
  

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