Business Plan Competition

Objective:

The path out of poverty begins with bottom-up market based initiatives that conclude in the creation of stable wage earning employment.  Our Business Plan Competition (BPC) is designed to facilitate the emergence and/or expansion of a class of entrepreneurs who can offer employment to others in their community.  La Ceiba’s BPC targets aspiring entrepreneurs and established micro and small scale enterprise owners.  Our BPC is a joint effort with local partners in El Progreso – including, business, academia, non-profit and government sectors.

Details:

The BPC unfolds in the following stages:

1. Applicants submit prospective business ideas to our Loan Officer for admission into the competition.
2. Applicants are sorted into “aspiring” and “established” entrepreneurial tracks.
3. Local entrepreneurs, acting as mentors, will work closely with established entrepreneurs in reviewing their business ideas.
4. Participants receive training and mentoring in their respective tract
5. Established Entrepreneurs submit preliminary business plans.
6. Established Entrepreneurs receive feedback from local partners acting as mentors.
7. Following ten days of business development classes, final business plans from competitors are submitted to our panel of judges (composed of local partners only).
8. Our panel of Judges will determine a winner and runner-up in each track.
9. Grants are awarded to winning entrepreneurs.

Resources:

• BPC- Application (english/spanish)
• BPC-Flyer (spanish)
• Business Training Modules: Freedom From Hunger