On July 30, a government-backed youth entrepreneurship initiative handed out seed grants of up to EC$3,000 to 10 emerging young business owners across Grenada, marking a key milestone in the country’s push to empower youth-led economic development. The award ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports at the Public Workers’ Union Conference Room in Tanteen, kicked off a broader support scheme that combines hands-on business training with accessible financing for new and expanding ventures.
The YOUtrepreneur Programme is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Grenada Development Bank (GDB), built on the foundation of a prior business development course delivered by the Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC). Out of more than 60 applications received from aspiring young founders across Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique, 50 candidates completed a comprehensive training curriculum covering core business skills including business planning, risk assessment, financial record-keeping, cost management, customer service, and long-term business continuity planning. After a rigorous selection process, 10 trainees were awarded seed grants to launch or scale their operations, while all 50 completed trainees retain eligibility to apply for 1% concessional micro-loans capped at EC$30,000, provided they meet the programme’s formal compliance requirements.
This funding round forms a core part of the Grenadian government’s national strategy to formalize and support youth-led micro-enterprises across all three islands. The initiative targets founders between the ages of 18 and 35, with a specific focus on growing ventures in agribusiness and agricultural technology — two sectors identified as critical to strengthening Grenada’s food security and economic resilience. Two award recipients highlighted how the early-stage funding will advance their mission-driven work in these priority areas.
Chad McFarlane, founder of Felix Park-based climate-smart agribusiness Paragon Farms, will use his grant to launch a new apiculture division alongside his existing crop operations. “This is for the bees… to get the hives and everything organised for bee farming,” McFarlane explained of his plans.
Shenelle Young, founder of agri-tech startup Green Zource, is developing a digital platform that directly connects small-scale local farmers with large institutional buyers across Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. Her grant will cover critical early-stage costs including legal consultation to ensure the platform meets local regulatory requirements, domain registration, and digital service subscription fees. While Young noted the grant alone does not cover all the costs of building her startup, she emphasized that it provides an invaluable jumping-off point to speed up her go-to-market timeline.
Institutional leaders at the ceremony stressed that formal regulatory compliance is a non-negotiable foundation for long-term business growth. Debbie Farray, Business Development Officer at GDB, reminded participants that steps including obtaining a tax identification number and registering for the National Insurance Scheme are essential to building legitimate, bankable businesses that can qualify for future financing, secure government contracts, and scale successfully.
Programme coordinator Carlene Perryman also announced a flexible, ongoing application model that sets the YOUtrepreneur Programme apart from traditional annual funding cycles. Rather than restricting applications to set annual windows, the Ministry and GDB will accept and review applications on a rolling basis, allowing them to support young founders at any stage of business development. Perryman encouraged interested young people to reach out to Farray directly to learn more about eligibility for grants, low-interest loans, and free business training, and noted that while YOUtrepreneur focuses on 18 to 35-year-old founders, additional support schemes are available for entrepreneurs outside that age range.
A brief unexpected power outage interrupted a keynote address by Senator Seville Francis, but the moment showcased the collective commitment of the room: Francis continued her remarks without amplification, while attendees and journalists pulled out their personal device lights to illuminate the stage for the audience. In her address, Francis emphasized the broader impact of the programme, saying these young entrepreneurs are “building industries, creating jobs, strengthening our food systems, and positioning Grenada as a regional hub for innovation.”
The ceremony closed with all grant recipients receiving formal certificates of recognition. In addition to funding and training, programme officials will provide ongoing post-award mentorship and regular progress check-ins to ensure recipients meet their business goals and use funding in alignment with their approved business plans.