Aboriginal Entrepreneurship

Community Futures Central Kootenay in partnership with the Kootenay Aboriginal Business Advocates Society (KABAS) offers business services to assist Aboriginal entrepreneurs to reach their business goals.

The mission of KABAS is: to increase the number of Aboriginal businesses and increase their profitability by:

• Acting as an advocate for Aboriginal entrepreneurs
• Promoting & developing Aboriginal entrepreneurship
• Being a conduit for information to all Aboriginal groups

The program serves Aboriginal peoples of the West and East Kootenays by providing advice, support and technical assistance to assist with small business exploration and development.

Services out of the Community Futures Central Kootenay office include:

• Research assistance
• Business counselling
• Business loans
• Business Planning Workshops
• Self-Employment Program (must meet eligibility requirements)
• Business library
• Computer workstation with Internet access
• Community Futures Central Kootenay has brochures and written materials available at the office on Aboriginal services and programs
• A KABAS representative comes to the Nelson office to meet with clients by appointment on a regular basis

For information about the resources available from KABAS, see the KABAS website

Other Aboriginal Resources:

• Aboriginal Business Canada [http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/site/abc-eac.nsf/en/home]
• Aboriginal Capital Corporations [http://www.nacca.net/]
• Aboriginal Business & Entrepreneurship Skills Training [http://www.smallbusinessconsultant.ca/best]
• All Nations Trust Company [http://www.antco.bc.ca/indexuc6.htm]
• First Citizens Fund [www.gov.bc.ca/arr/economic/fcf/default.html]
• First Nations Agricultural Lending Association [http://fnala.com/]
• KABAS [www.kabas.org]
• Metis BC [www.mnbc.ca]
• For more resources see - http://www.kabas.org/recommended.htm

---