REAP Women's Business Center Awarded Highest Tier for Funding
The efforts of former Rural Entrepreneur Assistance Program (REAP) Women's Business Center Director Glennis McClure, REAP staff, and partners have ensured that the Center's REAP Women's Business Center is continuing on.
The U.S. Small Business Administration awarded REAP the highest tier of funding to continue providing training and counseling to entrepreneurs in rural Nebraska. Funding is based on performance, and each Women's Business Center across the country is compared to other Centers of similar market size.
REAP staff gathered with other partners and supporters in Beatrice on Oct. 17, 2006, to celebrate the sustainability funding. Samuel Jones, SBA Regional Administrator from Kansas City, attended, along with District Director Glenn Davis, Deputy Director Kathleen Piper and Business Development Specialist Deborah Wilson from the Omaha SBA office. Chuck Hassebrook, Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs, was present and spoke about the Center and REAP's mission. He introduced Amy Tejral from Sen. Ben Nelson's staff.
Martha Martinez, owner of Esperanza's Creations in South Sioux City, spoke from the perspective of an entrepreneur who has accessed services from the REAP Women's Business Center.