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Spotlight on Small Business
and Art Our Annual Arctic Small Business Gathering is scheduled for May 15 and 16 in Kotzebue. It provides an opportunity for people to get small business training and learn about business possibilities in the villages and grant and loan programs. As in the past, the Gathering also will have a special focus on arts and crafts. Although our small business grant program is limited to vendor payments of up to $1,500.00 only, we have been able to help dozens of area residents begin or improve small businesses over the last two years. Business assistance has ranged from equipment for people engaged in arts and crafts, retail sales, and trades such as welding and engine repair to training and workshop expenses. Our small business loan program is based on assignments of Permanent Fund Dividend proceeds. Loans are used for the purchase of inventory for resale, raw materials for sewing or other commercial art, and tools and equipment that cost in excess of our grant limit or that do not qualify for the grant program. During the past two years we made about 140 such loans to our residents for amounts up to $1,500.00. This year the maximum loan is just $500.00. That is due to the fact that the Permanent Fund Dividend will be much smaller than it has been due to the low return on investments by the Fund in recent years. The two-day business gathering will feature small business training sessions each morning from 8:30 until noon. That training will take place in the Borough Assembly Chambers. It will cover a range of topics including business planning, business management, record keeping and tax planning and preparation. All interested people are welcome to attend. Village residents who have a small business or are planning to start a business may apply for a small business grant to cover the cost of airfare to Kotzebue. The main Business Gathering will take place at the National Guard Armory from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. The agenda will feature presentations and panel discussions on topics ranging from successful small business startups in our region to programs like Job Start, which is a new program designed to help unemployed parents, who now receive temporary assistance payments, to get employment. We will also have a presentation from the school district on arts in the schools, the Youth Opportunity Program, internet art marketing, and much, much more. The Gathering will also feature our Annual Art Competition and a total of $1,400 in prize money for distribution to first, second and third place finishers in each of four categories. This year's categories are atikluk sewing, caribou antler carving, jewelry, and sculpture. Jewelry and sculptures must be made from local material or a combination of materials (ivory, jade, baleen, bone, etc.). Originality is encouraged! Dare to create something truly unique. All of the region's craftspeople are welcome to display and sell their products from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 16. The sale will be well publicized in Kotzebue and there will be some visitors from outside the region. |