USDA grant funds class for small business owners

City of Maricopa staff is working to have a class in place within the next few months that will provide present and future small business owners with information they need to launch a new venture or manage their current business successfully.

“If we can generate even two or three jobs out of this program, it will be a great success,” said economic development manager Danielle Casey.

The city recently received a $30,000 United States Department of Agriculture Rural Business Enterprise Grant, aimed at developing business in rural areas.

“We are very proud of being the only city in Arizona to be approved for this grant,” Casey said.

Currently, the city has a request for bid out to private companies to organize and host the Maricopa classes, which the city is planning to offer in both the fall and spring.

The classes will be very similar to the city’s leadership academy, which takes 15 residents and instructs them on the inner workings of the city through a series of once-a-week meetings.

Classes will be free of charge, but, with only 15 available seats per session, the selection process will include looking at the type of business a person is thinking about opening. Points will be awarded for services that are viewed as more critical for the area, and those with the most points will be admitted to the class.

“We are very excited about this program,” Casey said.

On Sept. 4 the city council will decide which company will be awarded the contract for the implementation of this course.

File photo