Youth Business Programs Return

After some changes due to COVID 19, many annual Community Futures youth entrepreneurship and business-building programs have made a full return across Alberta. 

Community Futures locations are proud to offer a wide range of entrepreneurship programs for school-aged children and up, and encourage entrepreneurial and community spirit.

Programs often provide students with financial literacy skills, mentorship from the business community, and a chance to showcase their passions.

A new provincial initiative is giving rural women entrepreneurs easier access to capital and local support to start or grow a business in their community.

The Alberta Women’s Economic Recovery - Capital Growth Initiative, will be available to provide easier access to loans for women-owned small and medium-sized businesses and help create jobs and diversify the Alberta economy.

We are pleased to share information about two Community Futures member initiatives that have been awarded Community Awards of Excellence from the Economic Developers of Alberta. 

During one of the most significant challenges in our program’s history, the Community Futures network was there to make a difference.

Faced with a global health crisis, teams from across the province connected with thousands of small business owners - And the voice of advocacy for their survival was heard.

Understanding the pressures small businesses were facing, Community Futures quickly became experts in deploying a federal government relief program, the Regional Relief and Recovery Fund.

Excerpt from Community Futures Network of Canada - Annual Report 2020-21

PANDEMIC LIFELINE: THE REGIONAL RELIEF AND RECOVERY FUND (RRRF)

As the weeks wore on during the global pandemic, rural and remote businesses needed increasing levels of support, and the Community Futures voice of rural advocacy was heard. 

Our new network of websites are mobile-friendly and help guide rural small business owners and entrepreneurs through the steps to success.

Explore the wide range of tools and local support options available at
Community Futures locations across Alberta. 

Explore now

Community Futures is a federally funded 'rural grassroots' program that provides business loans, training, coaching, and supports community economic development projects.

Take a look at how network members made an impact in supporting rural small business development in 2020/2021. 

View the graphic

The CFNA provides advocacy, leadership, stewardship, and operational support to the network of 27 Alberta Community Futures organizations.

Take a look at a snapshot of our network and key achievements in 2020-2021.

As a series of workshops and sessions focused on relaunching and retaining businesses in rural Alberta wraps up, we are reflecting back on one of the most challenging periods for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

As soon as the COVID-19 pandemic started, it quickly became apparent that SMEs would be one of the hardest hit groups from multiple lockdowns & loss of income.

Thus, the Building Business Resiliency project was born.

“Resilience is not about overcoming, but becoming.” – Sherri Mandell