On July 7, 2026, 22 emerging small business entrepreneurs across Belize walked away with transformative $5,000 grants each at the closing cohort ceremony of the Belize Enterprise Empowerment Project (BEEP), a nationwide initiative designed to fuel growth for local maturing enterprises.
Hosted on the morning of the ceremony by the Belize Trade and Investment Development Service (BELTRAIDE), in formal partnership with the CARICOM Development Fund, the program combines targeted business training with seed capital investment to help small, locally owned businesses scale their operations and expand their market reach across the country. This cohort’s successful grant recipients represent a diverse cross-section of Belize’s private sector, spanning everything from sustainable agriculture and local food processing to hospitality and tourism, creative content services, and digital marketing.
Ishmael Quiroz, Executive Director of BELTRAIDE, walked attendees through the program’s rigorous competitive selection process. The initiative drew 127 initial applicant businesses, he explained, with eligibility hinging on the submission of a complete, high-quality business proposal. From the initial pool, just 30 ventures were shortlisted to move forward and participate in the program’s comprehensive structured business training curriculum. To advance to the final grant pitching stage, participating entrepreneurs were required to complete a minimum of 80% of the training coursework.
From that group of 30 trained candidates, 22 ultimately won the grant awards after successfully presenting their business plans to an independent evaluation panel, which assessed each venture based on viability, innovative potential, and long-term prospects for growth. “Twenty-two were successful in completing the program and in successfully pitching and convincing the evaluation panel that their business was viable, innovative, and stood a good chance of success,” Quiroz confirmed during the ceremony.
For recipients like Darlon Usher, the grant represents a pivotal turning point for his growing enterprise. “This is definitely a major step for me and my business in that it provides and allows me to provide better, quality service for my clients,” Usher said. “I’m able to expand my equipment and in doing so, I’m able to provide more services for the clients.”
Fellow recipient Dawn Humes noted that while the application and training process was rigorous, it delivered lasting value beyond the financial grant. “I have to say the process was a little vigorous, right? We got to learn about the business from the beginning to the end, which is a good thing. And one thing I could say that each of us know now how to manage and how the steps it will take for us to have a prosperous business,” Humes explained.
Quiroz added that the program is structured to support long-term success, not just one-time funding. The $5,000 grants are disbursed in two separate disbursement phases, paired with ongoing monitoring from BELTRAIDE to ensure the funds are used accountably and that recipients continue to receive the guidance they need to sustain growth after the award. This online report is a transcript of a television evening newscast, with Kriol language comments standardized using an official spelling system for accessibility.