The free initiative aimed at supporting female entrepreneurship in rural Ireland in the early stages of their business journey is celebrating 10 years of existence.
The programme is funded through the Rural Innovation and Development Fund by the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine (DAFM) and is open for applications until 20 September.
Marking the decade of support provided to female rural entrepreneurs since its inception in 2014, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue highlights the support it has provided to over 400 women in rural Ireland.
“The programme aims to address the skills, enterprise and capability gaps that female entrepreneurs can face and takes into account the barriers which often limit entrepreneurial activity in rural areas.
"I am delighted that once again we can target this area and help female rural entrepreneurs to realise their dreams of starting and growing successful businesses,” he says.
Impact on rural business owners
A survey carried out at the end of ACORNS 9 revealed that participants increased their total turnover throughout the six-month programme by 43% from €2.8m to €4m.
Participants doubled their workforce to 133, with 59 full-time and 74 part-time staff employed at the end of the programme. Along with this, 96% said that their participation brought about practical change within their business.
ACORNS 10 will run from October 2024 to April 2025 and will include six monthly round-table sessions, a workshop on understanding financials, a briefing by various development agencies and an end-of-cycle celebration.
The round-table sessions will be facilitated by a lead entrepreneur, who has had first-hand experience of starting and successfully growing a business in rural Ireland.
Only early-stage female entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland and who have had no sales before the end of June 2021 are eligible to apply.
With 50 places available, those wishing to receive an application form for ACORNS 10 can register on www.acorns.ie.
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