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 Rural Enterprise
Assistance Project (REAP)
Fostering small business growth in rural areas
Small business owners must compete and succeed in a rapidly changing
environment.
The Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP), a program of
the Center for Rural Affairs, is a small business development program
that can help! REAP consists of four elements including:
networking, business management training, credit (micro-loans)
and technical assistance.
Technical Assistance
- REAP staff are available for one-on-one technical assistance
with business owners or managers. Businesses may be existing
or start-up businesses of all types.
- Business planning assistance and trouble shooting consultations.
- Cash flow and budget assistance.
- Loan packaging assistance.
Micro Loan Fund Access
- Direct Lending - Participants are eligible for loans up to
$35,000.
- REAP Online Lending System – Applications for REAP Rapid
Loans up to $5,000 and loans up to $10,000 can be completed online
or the online application can be used for the pre-application
for business loans from $10,001 - $35,000. http://www.cfra.org/reap/rapidloan_entry.htm
- Quick & Direct GROW Loans – GROW Nebraska members
are eligible for loans up to $5,000.
- Peer Group Loans of $100 - $10,000 are available to members
involved in associations that maintain a local loan loss reserve.
- All members may receive loan packaging assistance as needed.
Networking - Association or Roundtable Group
- A partnership is established between REAP and the local community
to form either a REAP Association or Roundtable. Group members
meet monthly for networking, discussion topics and education. An
active base of members and key contact person is critical to
the success of maintaining an association or networking group
in a community.
- Access to benefits and services, including REAP Business Update,
online member directory, and many other resources.
Business Training
- Associations and Roundtables have on-going training at their
monthly meetings.
- Associations or roundtable groups may host a REAP Business
Plan Basics Training or other special small business trainings
based on local interest.
- Regional workshops and Women’s Business Center training
activities are available periodically.
REAP is funded by Community Development Block Grant assistance
through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development as well as
funding from the Nebraska Microenterprise Development Act, United
States Department of Agriculture and the Small Business Administration
Microloan and Women’s Business Center programs among others.
Contact: Jeff Reynolds, REAP Program Director
402.656.3091 or jeffr@cfra.org
http://www2.cfra.org/reap/
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