Frontenac County Start-Ups Cash In On Small Grant Program

Jun 21, 2023

This week, the announcement of companies who have received mini-grants from the Starter Company Plus program had a distinctly northern vibe.

The program, which is delivered by the Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) for the City of Kingston, and the surrounding region, with funding from the Province of Ontario, provides up to $70,000 per year in two intakes.

It is coupled with a starter plus boot camp that helps fledgling business owners develop business plans and processes that are necessary to set up a thriving enterprise.

“The funding is not enough to get a company started. It is more seed money to help cover some specific costs,” said Robert Tamblyn, a business development manager, small & medium enterprises, at KEDCO.

Under Starter Plus, the minimum grant is $2,000 and the maximum is $5,000.

In the spring announcement, which came out on Monday, June 19, 5 of the 12 companies that received grants were relatively new, or brand-new companies, located in Frontenac County.

Tamblyn said that one of the ways his office connects with Frontenac County businesses is through the efforts of Frontenac Business Services in Harrowsmith.

“Anne Prichard, in their office, is always letting businesses know about the program, and other programs that we offer,” he said. “It has been a good partnership over the years.”

The Frontenac Businesses that received small grants include two young, but established businesses in Sydenham, Grains and Goods Bakery and Scarlett and Rosie Floral Company. Another company that is new this year in the Battersea area, Roberts Fishing, a fishing and angling lesson experience, received a grant. Melanie Marcotte Fitness and Wellness from Harrowsmith, which offers women-only strength training, received support. Finally, the Hyperborea Spa by Chris Gray, a hospitality business nestled in the woods of Sharbot Lake, was the fifth Frontenac business on the list.

For KEDCO, Frontenac Business Services, and the businesses that access the Starter Plus program, is also a way to establish a relationship that can extend to other services and grants that are available from time to time.

“A lot of what we do is about relationship building in order to support businesses over time,” said Tamblyn.

Applications for the fall intake of the program will be accepted in September.