Following the success of the pilot and ACORNS 2, We are pleased to announce that the call for participants for ACORNS 3 is now open!
ACORNS is designed for nascent female rural entrepreneurs. To qualify for consideration, a woman must have set up a new business within the last 2 years, which she owns or part owns, or must be actively planning a new venture and have a clear idea of what she wants to achieve. If she is not already trading, activities such as organising the start-up team, looking for equipment/facilities, saving money for the start-up, or writing a business plan would all be considered as active commitments to starting a business. She must also be living in a rural area. These are defined as all areas of the country outside the administrative city boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. There is no restriction on the sector in which the new business is focused. Favourable consideration will be given to those who expect to grow their business and to employ others over the next three years. If selected, applicants must be available for the first residential session on 23rd/34th October in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.
Thanks to the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund, we are gearing up to run our third cycle of the ACORNS programme.
The Local Enterprise Offices are very well placed to help early stage entrepreneurs and part of the programme will be letting them know of the support that we provide.
To download the latest brochure please click here.
Participants must be either in an advanced stage of planning if not yet trading, or with less than 2 years’ sales. The programme is completely free for participants.
All completed applications must be received by Friday 22nd September 2017.
