September 2015 Issue Business View Caribbean

Business View Caribbean - September 2015 21 targeted donors. To date, over 90 private, public, and civil society organizations have been exposed to over 3000 hours of training in proposal writing. “They might have good ideas but don’t know how to present them,” Veira explains. “We bring the agencies on board to find out what their needs are and we assist and guide and develop the skills for the small companies that come to that workshop. It has been a winner, and we have programmed two a year. People have actually been successful in obtaining funding based on how they’re appropriately presenting their ideas.” Successful may be an understatement. Within five months of hosting the first workshop, over $17 million in grant funding was awarded to workshop participants. JBDC also sponsors a Small Business Expo, which has grown markedly over the years. All of the stakeholders that relate to the MSME sector get together to share ideas and get current information on any new services or developments. Most importantly, they network, or as Veira states succinctly: “People speak to each other and find that they can link and find benefits on both sides.” “It has really become the marquee, small business event on the national calendar,” relates Davis. “Before we started it eight years ago, there was no such event. Every year we see an additional amount of persons. This year it was about 1,000 people who came to the event. And every agency - both private and public - that has to do with providing services or products for small business are there or want to be there.” In fact, ac- cording to Veira, next year’s Small Business Expo is already booked and companies are vying with one an- other to become its main sponsor. The JBDC also is involved in helping to educate Jamai- ca’s future entrepreneurs. “We actually teach degree