AUGUSTA — New Ventures Maine has announced open applications for its statewide Fall 2023 Marketing Mini-Grant Competition.

The NVME Marketing Mini-Grant Program aims to strengthen access to markets for micro-businesses by supporting the development of marketing tools, materials, and activities. NVME will award cash mini-grants — up to $1,000 per region — to microenterprises for marketing projects through a competitive application process.

Applications are due Friday, Nov. 3.

Eligible applicants include individual micro-business owners, business partners, or groups of business owners. Businesses apply to the region in which they are based.

Application criteria include: 1) Five or fewer full-time equivalent employees; 2) sales in the current calendar year; and 3) gross annual sales of no more than $150,000 (previous calendar year).

New Ventures Maine’s mini-grants support new or expanded business marketing and promotion. Winning grants must be matched by a 25% contribution which can come from business profits, personal funds, or other sources.

Regions and contacts are defined for the NVME mini-grant program as follows:

• Aroostook County: Destin DeCambre, 207-768-9468, destin.decambre@maine.edu;

• Kennebec and Somerset counties: Jean Dempster, 207-621-3434, dempster@maine.edu;

• Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox and Waldo counties: Alicia LaFosse, 207-621-7457, alicia.lafosse@maine.edu;

• Penobscot, Piscataquis, Hancock and Washington counties: Banjo Ogunlela, 207-262-7842, oyebanjo.ogunlela@maine.edu;

• Cumberland and York counties: Elaine Thomas, 207-799-5025, elaine.thomas@maine.edu; and

• Androscoggin, Oxford and Franklin counties: Dion Olmstead, 207-753-6581, dion.r.olmstead@maine.edu.

Marketing mini-grants are sponsored in part by Norway Savings Bank, Katahdin Trust Company, and Kennebec Savings Bank.

For more information, contact the region representative listed or visit newventuresmaine.org.

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