97 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BENEFIT FROM FIRST BATCH OF BERRY’s BUSINESS SUPPORT GRANT PAYMENTS

[Kingstown, Saint Vincent] – The Beryl Emergency Resilient Recovery Project (BERRy) is proud to announce the successful disbursement of the first batch of Business Support Grants to micro and small enterprises affected by Hurricane Beryl. Payments for cohort 1–4 were issued to recipients. So far, 97 beneficiaries across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines received a total of XCD $376,000 under this initial phase.
The Business Support Grant is a key component of the BERRy Project’s efforts to restore livelihoods and strengthen economic resilience following the widespread impacts of the hurricane. The grant provides financial assistance to help business owners resume operations, replace essential tools and equipment, and stabilize income-generating activities.
As part of the programme, successful recipients also completed a two-day business training workshop delivered by the Centre for Enterprise Development (CED). Workshops were held on mainland Saint Vincent, Canouan and Union Island, equipping participants with practical skills in financial management, marketing, and strategies for withstanding economic shocks. These sessions form a critical part of the project’s approach, combining financial support with capacity building to strengthen long-term resilience and business continuity.Businesses will receive additional coaching and monitoring over the next six (6) months by CED.
The BERRy Project encourages the public to stay tuned for upcoming announcements regarding a second Business Support Grant opportunity for Vincentian entrepreneurs.