Supports Available for Entrepreneurs

for Business Planning

A business plan is a tool used to communicate information about your business concept, company management, marketing strategy, financial needs, and operations. It aids your business in setting goals, assessing performance, keeping focused, obtaining financing from lenders and investors, and to identify risks and opportunities.

New and existing businesses are always encouraged to complete or be very involved in the preparation of their business plans.  The following list suggests several organizations providing  business planning supports through different channels:

1. Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre (C/MBSC)
   
   

   • Business Information Officers – receive calls, visitors or emails to talk about your business start or business growth needs including getting started on your business plan. For more information and contact, visit http://www.canadabusiness.mb.ca/home_page/.  

   • Business Planning Handbook – provides a template for preparing a plan while “walking” the user through the process.  Find the guide at this link.

   • Developing and Writing a Plan for Your Business – provides useful information on how to develop and write a business plan. For more information, visit this link.

   • Business Library – offers over 400 sample business plans and over 800 guides and publications on how to start various businesses, various financial benchmarking tools, statistical research tools, business trends, and much more with professional reference services that helps you find the information you need to complete the plan. You can visit the library in person at 250-240 Graham Avenue in Winnipeg to speak to research professionals or visit this link:

   • Entrepreneurial Learning Program – offers seminars on many business topics including the basics of business planning and in-depth two-day sessions on developing a business plan.
     
     For your review of upcoming sessions and registration online, please visit www.canadabusiness.mb.ca and click on Seminars.

2. Small Business Development Branch
   
   

   • Business Start Program – has loan guarantee and educational components. In its educational component it delivers free three-day business planning workshops. More information can be found at this link.

   • Small Business Counselling Services – provides one-on-one business counselling to entrepreneurs and businesses in a number of sectors. Counselling services include explanation of suitable templates, research suggestions and review of draft business plans.
     
     For more information and counselling, please contact the counsellors in person at 250-240 Graham Avenue, Winnipeg, or follow this link: http://www.gov.mb.ca/ctt/busdev/smbus/.

3. Growing Opportunities (GO) Offices/Centres

   • Business Development Specialists – located in more than 40 rural GO Offices/Centres, provide one-on-one business planning and development advisory services to clients looking to start or expand their business.  More information can be found at this website:  http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/contact/agoffices.html

4. Manitoba Business Gateways
   
   

   • Information Specialists – provide business planning and information services and referrals by phone, in-person, and via e-mail. For more information, follow this link: http://www.gov.mb.ca/ctt/busdev/cib/mbb_gateway.html

5. Canada Business
   
   

• Canada Business – provides online support services including how to write a business plan, business plan templates and samples and FAQs can be found at this link: http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/

6. Community Futures Manitoba
   
   

• Community Futures Offices – operate across rural and Northern Manitoba to strengthen rural economies by enabling entrepreneurship and assisting in community economic development.

  • One-to-One Business Consultation:  including meeting with you to discuss your business needs.
  • Business Plan Development: assists you in creating your business plan.
  • Business Resources: directs you to available resources and business training with its offices or in the community.

  For more information about a specific Community Futures office in your area, please visit http://www.cfmanitoba.ca/index.php?page=directory.

7. Other Business Supports
   
   For many other business supports, please visit the Manitoba Business Portal at this link: http://www.manitoba.ca/business.