Small Business Development Center offering course scholarships to Blaine businesses

The City of Blaine and Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center are offering five scholarships to local Blaine businesses for its Launch and Build Your Business course.

Classes begin April 16 and last through June 25. The deadline for scholarship application submissions is April 5. To apply, call the SBDC at 360-778-1762 or email SBDC@wwu.edu.

To be eligible for a scholarship, businesses must be based in Blaine or must plan to open in Blaine. Businesses must be full-time operations, with projected annual revenues of at least $50,000. Applicants must demonstrate financial need for the scholarship, showing how the class will support a business loan or capital raising effort, or help with financial hardship.

The Launch and Build Your Business course is dedicated to helping locals starting a new business or growing their existing business. Whatcom Community College’s Community and Continuing Education program is hosting the class and will feature self-paced online content and bi-weekly live workshops facilitated by SBDC’s Jennifer Shelton and Northwest Innovation Resource Center’s Laura Bostrom.

The program is intended for those who are just starting a business or who are looking for help growing their existing business. Content will include the fundamentals of successfully managing a business and the development of a complete and effective business plan. Enrollment in the course includes three textbooks, access to Palo Alto Software’s Start, Run and Grow Your Business Curriculum online, a six-month subscription to Business Plan Pro’s LivePlan program to create a business plan and six in-person class sessions.

For more information on the program and how to apply, call Shelton or Eric Grimstead at 360-778-1762 or email jennifer.shelton@wwu.edu or eric.grimstead@wwu.edu.