At Community Futures South Georgian Bay, we offer many resources that entrepreneurs require to get their business started.
Business Financing Guide
Need funding to help you start or grow? Have questions about the what is the right financing for your business? The Business Financing Guide will help you to understand the most common forms of financing, how to assess which type is best for your business, and how to prepare effectively for approaching lenders and investors. Business Financing Guide
Advice for Home-Based Businesses
Many entrepreneurs choose to run a business out of their home. Each municipality has rules and requirements that apply to home-based business and it is important to understand these requirements. The Town of Collingwood and the Town of Wasaga Beach have published guides to help you establish and grow a home-based business and navigate the municipal by-laws.
BizGrid
BizGrid is an interactive online directly designed to help entrepreneurs access the resources and assistance they need in South Georgian Bay. Community Futures South Georgian Bay is a proud sponsor and supporter of BizGrid. Visit the BizGrid website.
Your Business Plan is the first step in realizing your dream. This is where entrepreneurs put their best ideas forward, check them for feasibility, and create a realistic plan to give their business the best chance of success. Whether you’re starting a new venture, buying an existing business or expanding your operation, your Business Plan is the roadmap that takes you from where you are now to where you want to be in the future. With a complete Business Plan, you are eligible to make a loan application at the Centre For Business and at most lending institutions. If you’re ready to start: View our Business Plan Template See more examples of on-line interactive business plans If you are having difficulty with your business plan the Centre For Business offers advice and support in the development of business plans/proposals, marketing plans, financial projections and management procedures. Book a FREE Consult A typical Business Plan includes:
- Cover page
- Executive Summary
- Table of Contents
- Company Profile
- Description of Product or Service and the Industry
- Sales and Marketing Plan
- Operation Plan
- Financial Plan
- References and Support Data
Writing Your Business Plan 
Ten Good Reasons to Do a Business Plan
- It’s a blueprint for building or expanding your business
- It’s a touchstone for keeping you focused and on track
- It’s a benchmark for measuring your progress with projected success
- It’s proof of your credibility to lenders and investors
- It’s a planning tool for allocating the proper resources and getting the types of support you need
- It’s a process for discovering key issues and challenges that you need to address before they negatively affect your business
- It’s a framework for forecasting and budgeting
- It makes your objectives and goals crystal clear
- It identifies competitors, threats and opportunities
- It defines how you’re going to operate and market your business
The business that fails to plan, plans to fail. The business plan is paramount to the successful operation of any business. A written document that describes all aspects of your business venture, the Business Plan provides you with a guide to success.
What is a Master Business Licence? A Master Business Licence (MBL) is an official proof of your business name registration. The MBL can be used as proof of business name registration at financial institutions, and to facilitate other business-related transactions with the Ontario Government. If you have access to high-speed internet, you can register, renew or search a business in Ontario right from home at www.serviceontario.ca. (For more details go to our Business Registration page.)
The Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporation has partnered with Contact North to give you access to over 1,000 online programs and 18,000 courses through Ontario’s colleges, universities and skills providers. Contact North is Ontario’s distance education and training network. It is a non-profit corporation funded by the Government of Ontario offering access to education opportunities through online learning to over 4 million Ontarians in 600 small, remote, rural, Aboriginal and Francophone communities across the province. These online courses and programs are offered by Ontario’s:
- 24 public colleges
- 20 public universities
- 250 literacy and basic skills and other training providers
With online learning you can earn a college certificate or diploma, a university degree, your high school equivalency, or upgrade your skills. Advantages of Online Learning:
- Online learning is ideal for learners who prefer to study part-time while maintaining their work and family commitments
- Work at your own pace and further your professional development
- Explore new and interesting avenues of study in an easy to afford environment
- Courses are available 24/7 and you can study at home, work or on the road
Contact North services include:
- Knowledgeable Online Learning Recruitment Officers and Centre Assistants
- Information about more than 1,000 online programs and 18,000 online courses
- Assistance with program and course selection
- Support with navigating the registration process at the institution of your choice
- Financial aid information; Free use of computers with high-speed Internet at local centres
- Flexible hours at one of 112 online learning centres to meet your needs, including a quiet place to complete course work, link with other students in informal support groups, and write supervised exams
You can access the training at www.contactnorth.ca