About Grow Ellsworth County's Accomplishments
Trivia! Learn About Grow Ellsworth County!
Answer: C
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What is gap funding? The difference between what a bank will loan and what will close the project besides owner equity or capital. the average gap funding percentage is 48% of the total project.
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Our office facilitated $1,175,900 in 3 years. We administer all but $340,000 of that in house.
For comparison, here are a few county's numbers that are considerably larger than Ellsworth County.
County #1: $490,383
County #2: $546,083
County #3: $165,000
County #4: $25,000
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This year, we have already closed another $150,000 to date making our new milestone $1,325,900.
Answer: False
The chamber check program was dissolved in 2022 under the direction of the chamber of commerce. There were a multitude of reasons for the change, including the laborious nature of manual checks, and the inability to manage whether it was being used as it was meant to be, a shop local program. To keep up with times and to create a shopping network, the chamber check program was replaced by the Yiftee Grow Ellsworth County digital gift card. You can purchase digital cards for our participating members online in $5, $10,$25,$50 and $100 increments. You can order those digital cards and learn more on this website on the "Shop Local" page.
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What should you do with any chamber checks laying around? Use them at any location that will accept them. We will close that account soon, making those checks obsolete.
Answer: D Layton Leiker
The Youth Entrepreneurship Program is a great way to prepare our future business leaders and owners to see opportunities are everywhere, including in Ellsworth County. This program, along with our "littles" program with the same goal known as Lemonade Day, is creating a pipline of skilled future entrepreneurs who have the skills and abilities to create a business plan, project their earnings, understand profit and loss, know how to access capital, and how to pitch and present their ideas. Learn more about YEC and Lemonade Day on this website!
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2024's winner Josie Kueser is heading to the state competition on 4.16.24. Send her well wishes on our virtual pep rally.
Answer: B
105 children attended Camp Invention, which was hosted in 2 locations, Wilson and Ellsworth.
12 6th grade
18 5th grade
18 4th grade
17 3rd grade
21 2nd grade
15 1st grade
4 kindergarten
13 leaders in training
4 interns
6 educators
5 parent volunteers
In 2024, there will be 3 camps - Ellsworth, Wilson & Holyrood, and there are scholarships available. Learn more here
Answer: B
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We are open to partnering on community festivals in ways that make sense and align with our mission, but we don’t have the manpower or resources to take on grand events. We are parterning with Cowtown Days this year to bring retail and entrepreneurship into the day by hosting our second annual Lemonade Day and pop up market. Lemonade Day is our "Shark Tank"YEC-like competition for the littles K-6 using the concept of a lemonade stand.
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Learn more about Lemonade Day here.
Answer: C
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Our office does not have funding for any start up grants for businesses. Grants are mostly reserved for the non-profit sector. For-profit businesses should be funded through traditional financing, gap financing, and/or owner capital, with a solid plan to cash flow.
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For more information about incentives that are available, including our zero percent interest facade loans, gap funding, or Neighborhood Revitalization Program, click here and then make an appointment!
Answer: C
The Because We Care Coalition was born out of the identification of mental health challenges during COVID. This coalition consists of community leaders dedicated to supplying the county with the necessary resources and information to live a thriving lifestyle. Currently, a website is being constructed, along with additional marketing resources for community members to know where to find assistance in any of their identified needs.
Answer: D
Recruitment and retention of employees is not just about community assets, but about showing someone how they fit, how they live, how they belong in a community. That means having housing, having activities, having recreation, etc.
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In addition to that, we currently have a workforce incentive program that has provided a cash relocation incentive to 26 new employees. We have used $31,500 of our program dollars to help our employers, including using an incentive to recruit a new provider Ross Binford at Ellsworth County Medical Center.
