On Thursday, March 19, from 8 - 11 a.m., at Nautilus Seafood & Grill, local experts from SCORE, Small Business Administration, CEI, New Ventures, FAME, Penquis, and the City of Belfast will provide resources and support for business owners, hosted by Our Town Belfast’s (OTB) Economic Vitality Committee.

This free event welcomes entrepreneurs, small business owners, and those interested in starting a business.

“There’s plenty of funding and resources—you just need to know where to look," said Amanda Cunningham, Executive Director of Our Town Belfast, in a OTB news release. "We’re bringing organizations together so attendees can access what they need.”

Accordin to the news release, when talking to small business owners, OTB found that many of them are overwhelmed with looking for resources and therefore they do not try. Each of the organizations who will be on hand are local and familiar with the Midcoast Maine small business environment. They have a wide range of knowledge to share.

Colby Horne, owner of Colburn Shoe Store, said: "We didn't expect to receive a small business grant since our business is already doing well, but we applied and now 75% of our upcoming facade improvement expenses are covered."

Many small business owners share the belief that being successful makes them ineligible for grants. To address this, OTB plans to demonstrate to attendees that this is not necessarily the case.

For anyone who is unable to attend but wants to learn more about the small business community, OTB’s Business Coffee Downtown returns on Wednesday, April 1, from 8 - 9 a.m., in the back room of Rollie’s Bar & Grill, 37 Main Street.

Learn more about these programs and OTB at ourtownbelfast.org.

OUR TOWN BELFAST is a community driven, inclusive, Main Street organization whose mission is to grow and sustain our historic downtown while celebrating our unique cultural heritage. We believe in supporting local businesses, honoring our heritage through historic preservation, and bringing together the community to make downtown Belfast an inclusive and better place to work, shop, play, and live. Our Town Belfast envisions a vibrant future in which our waterfront commercial district, treasured historic buildings, and outdoor public spaces are alive with inclusive, interactive, and multigenerational activity.