Background and objective

The Industry Unit within the Ministry of Agriculture coordinates and administers a development program geared specifically towards the producers in the agro processing sector. The assistance given to small agro processors in the form of a small business grant is geared towards assisting producers and entrepreneurs to become more competitive on the local market, where they are faced with competition from imports.

The support to producers are in the areas of the following:
- Product development
-Labelling
-Packaging
- Innovation
-Product Testing

Prerequisite for Beneficiary Assistance

• Entity must be a locally registered business-sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company.
• Entity must be operating legally in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Entity must not have more than a yearly turnover of EC $ 50,000
• Entity must submit to a capacity building training by a reputable Business Support Organization (BSO)
• Entity must submit to verification and consultative visits by the SVG Bureau of Standards

Procedures

• An application form detailing background of business must be completed by the applicant.
• Applicant must be working along or indicate commitment to working along with the Centre for Enterprise Development Inc. and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards.
• Items for procurement must be clearly listed with an original and accompanying proforma invoice.
• Suppliers of items to be procured must be reputable and credible.
• Invoices with items procured or purchased must be submitted to the Industry Department.

Grant Amount  

Due to limited available funding, there will be an upper level ceiling of $2,000 per award.

Criteria for Selection

1. Applicants must demonstrate sustainability of business subsequent upon disbursement of grant.
2. Applicants must be deemed to have the capacity to successfully manage their own business.
3. Applicants shall have a limit to one disbursement from the programme.
4. Applicants must not be benefiting from a similar support from any other programme.
5. Applicant must attend and successfully complete a basic business skills development training program with the Centre for Enterprise Development (CED).
6. Applicants must submit to a verification and consultative visit by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards.