The Workshop will cover points from why one would want or need a business plan, to detailed discussions of the type of information needed and the wide variety of formats used. You are encouraged to attend if you are interested in entering the Business Plan Competition or simply in developing a business plan.

To register for the Workshop or for more information about the Business Plan Competition, contact SWCI by phone at (802) 885-3061 or by email at info@swcincubator.org. Information is also available at www.SWCIncubator.org.

TSWCI can provide access to other resources to help in the preparation of the business plan through such organizations as the Small Business Development Center and SCORE. SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide.

The premise behind the Business Plan Competition is to help raise awareness in the community about small business and entrepreneurship. The Competition hopes to stimulate and encourage new business development by helping interested community members develop viable business plans, gain public attention and earn financial rewards. The Workshop on March 17th will provide information on how to do just that.

The premise behind the Business Plan Competition is to help raise awareness in the community about small business and entrepreneurship. The Competition hopes to stimulate and encourage new business development by helping interested community members develop viable business plans, gain public attention and earn financial rewards. The Workshop on March 17th will provide information on how to do just that.

To enter the competition, candidates must submit an executive summary consisting of a two-page business plan and one- page financial summary no later than 4 PM on April 15, 2009. The announcement of a maximum of six finalists will be made on April 21. Final business plans (eight copies of each) will be due at SWCI no later than 4 PM on June 4. Final presentations will take place on May 28 at the Howard Dean Education Center. Winners will be announced at 3 pm that day.

To be eligible for the competition, the current or proposed business must be physically located within the municipalities of Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Springfield, Weathersfield or Windsor. Existing businesses must have annual revenues of less than $500,000. Each submission will be reviewed and judged based on such criteria as: likelihood of success, potential for job creation, impact on the local economy, leadership quality, and financial clarity. More information about eligibility, rules, registration; judging and other details is available by contacting SWCI, and also online at SWCI's Business Plan Competition Webpage. Also, SWCI can provide access to free resources to help in the preparation of the executive summary and business plan through such organizations as the Small Business Development Center and SCORE.

The Vermont Culinary Arts Center would expand upon the current No Name Coffee, Tea and Bistro by purchasing the property the café is housed in and creating the new Center. The Culinary Arts Center would provide hands-on cooking classes for tourists that visit the Windsor region as well as those already in the area.

Bob Flint of SWCI presents the check for the Grand Prize of the Inaugural Business Plan Competition to Ari Nikki of the Vermont Culinary Arts Center

Heritage Engineering of Perkinsville won $1,250 for finishing in Second Place. The company presented a plan to expand their existing business.

The finalists submitted written plans, which were followed by a formal presentation to a panel of judges at the Howard Dean Education Center. Entrants were judged on a critera including the likelihood of success of the project, potential for job creation, impact on the local economy, leadership quality, and financial clarity. The Incubator is planning on holding the Business Plan Competition again in 2009.

To enter the competition, candidates must submit an executive summary consisting of a two-page business plan and one- page financial summary no later than 4 p.m. on March 14, 2008. The announcement of a maximum of six finalists for each category will be made on March 21. Final business plans (eight copies of each) will be due at SWCI no later than 4 p.m. on May 16. Final presentations, lasting up to 12 minutes per finalist, each with an additional 10 minutes for questions, will take place on May 23 at the Howard Dean Education Center. Winners will be announced at 3 pm that day.

SWCI will be providing two information sessions for interested applicants at 8:30 a.m. on January 29, 2008 and at 4 p.m. on February 14, 2008, both at the Dean Center.

To be eligible for the competition, the current or proposed business must be physically located within the municipalities of Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Springfield, Weathersfield or Windsor. Existing businesses must have annual revenues of less than $500,000. Each submission will be reviewed and judged based on such criteria as: likelihood of success, potential for job creation, impact on the local economy, leadership quality, and financial clarity. The judging panel consists of 10 community members. More information about eligibility, rules, registration; judging and other details is available by contacting SWCI, and also online at SWCI's Business Plan Competition Webpage. Also, SWCI can provide access to free resources to help in the preparation of the executive summary and business plan through such organizations as the Small Business Development Center and SCORE.