Western Cape Economic Development and Tourism opens applications
We are pleased to announce that applications have opened today (13 May, 2021) for the SMME Booster Fund 2021 which will distribute up to R20 million to organisations and municipalities for programmes that focus on supporting small businesses to grow and improve their sustainability so they can create more jobs in the Western Cape.
Run by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, the SMME Booster Fund 2021 is calling for any existing SMME business development projects based in the Western Cape, especially those that support rural, township-based, youth and women-owned businesses to apply.
The closing date for applications is Monday, 7 June 2021 and all information and application details can be found on the Western Cape website: www.westerncape.gov.za/general-publication/smme-booster-fund
In the previous iteration of the SMME Booster Fund, through the allocation of funding to 16 beneficiaries like the Innovator Trust and Edge Growth amongst others, we were able to support over 350 businesses in the Western Cape to grow and improve their sustainability creating much-needed jobs.
Earlier this week, I had the benefit of meeting some of the previous beneficiaries of the SMME Booster Fund and the small businesses they supported.
During my visit I heard from Glynn Mashonga, the CEO of Globescope Security, about how her business has benefited from the support of one of our SMME Booster Fund beneficiaries, Innovator Trust, which helped her to increase her turnover, open a new office and hire more employees.
The Innovator Trust supports small businesses in the ICT sector through their Enterprise and Supplier Development Programmes and Globescope Security received assistance through a host of workshops and webinars, a dedicated mentor and coach, accounting services, certification training, computer training and business linkages.
I also heard from Michael Fortune, the CEO of Integrum Global Solutions, a PPE supplier, about how they benefited from the support received from Edge Growth which runs Enterprise and Supplier Development Programmes for businesses and state-owned enterprises.
Through the funding provided to Edge Growth, Integrum Global Solutions benefited from participation in their business bootcamps, access to a dedicated mentor, assistance with a digital marketing campaign and access to an accountant.
The SMME Booster Fund is just one of the many ways that we are supporting small businesses in the Western Cape.
I look forward to seeing the many success stories that will emerge from the 2021 SMME Booster Fund and encourage all relevant organisations in the Western Cape to apply.
Now, more than ever, we need to work together to ensure businesses are supported and are operating safely and responsibly, so that we can save jobs and rebuild the economy in the Western Cape.
