THE Small Business Bureau (SBB) has said that it will be continuing the distribution of its small business grants this week.

The agency intends to distribute more than 1,400 small business grants valuing some $300 million to entrepreneurs countrywide.

SBB’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Simon Pollard, said that the team will be returning to several regions to distribute grants to persons who were not ‘captured’ in the first batch.

He said that the SBB has seen a significant increase in the number of persons benefitting from its programme this year.

The agency hopes to expand its current initiatives and establish more options for business owners to pursue.

“One of the things we want to encourage small business owners [to do] is to apply to the Small Business Bureau [for the] various services that we offer. The grant programme is just the access to finance programmes. We also have the collateral guarantee programme, where [there is an arrangement] with Republic Bank and GBTI,” Pollard said.

Close to 200 small businesses across Region Three are also expected to receive grants. More than 80 small business owners from Region Ten, last Wednesday, received grants of $150,000 from SBB to help boost their businesses.

In Region Six, some 130 grants were distributed and CEO of SBB, Mohamed Ibrahim, said: “These grants are all within the plans of the small business bureau to promote sustainable growth and to help with poverty reduction within the entire region. This is one of the major aspects and we focus on helping these small businesses grow.”

Distribution began in Region Four last Friday, with some 300 small business owners set to benefit. (DPI)