Norway Savings Bank donates $2,400 to New Ventures Maine to help Maine small businesses grow
[Norway, ME] – Norway Savings Bank teamed up with New Ventures Maine to provide budding Maine entrepreneurs a chance to win a cash mini-grant of $400 for expanding their business through marketing and promotion efforts. “We have found that a small mini-grant of $400 can go a long way in helping a new business get off the ground” said Gigi Guyton, Regional Manager of New Ventures Maine. Marketing Mini Grants are awarded to contestants in Western and Southern regions of the State.
Maddie Purcell, owner of Fyood Kitchen in Portland, is the Southern Region winner of the Marketing Mini-Grant Pitch Competition. Fyood Kitchen is where cooks transform their mystery ingredients into delicious dishes, using a fully-stocked pantry and the beautiful professional kitchen at Fork Food Lab in Portland. Judges provide feedback based on presentation, taste and creativity. Cooks also have the opportunity to try everyone else’s dishes. As Purcell describes it, “Fyood Kitchen puts on Iron Chef-meets-Paint Nite events for Maine’s fun-loving, adventurous foodies.”
“The Marketing Mini-Grant will provide funds for Fyood’s first paid marketing venture and will be invaluable in terms of increasing buzz about the company and narrowing down the ideal target audience,” said Purcell. “I’m so excited to receive this Mini-Marketing Grant and look forward to seeing how much it enables me to grow my business and enhance my collaborations with local food producers.”
With the $400 Marketing Mini-Grant, Purcell’s goals are to add 800 people to her email newsletter list. She also hopes to identify the highest performing demographic to target future offers. The Southern Region (Cumberland and York County) judges were: Peter Godsoe, of Norway Savings Bank; Sarah Hutchins, of New Ventures Maine; Kate Manahan, of New Mainers Speak; and Dan Philbrick, University College-Saco.
About Norway Savings Bank
Founded in 1866, Norway Savings Bank is a leading mutual banking and financial services company headquartered in Norway, Maine. As of October 31, 2016, Norway Savings Bank had $1.095 billion in total assets and provides financial services to over 38,000 households throughout western and southern Maine. Norway Savings Bank has 24 branch locations and operates divisions in asset management, personal banking and business banking. In 2016, Norway Savings Bank was honored as one of the Best Banks to Work For by American Banker and Best Companies Group as well as one of the Best Places to Work in Maine. In 2013, Norway Savings Bank received the Governor’s Award for Business Excellence and has been recognized as one of the healthiest companies in America by the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) as a two-time Gold-Level Well Workplace award recipient. BauerFinancial has designated 5-Star Norway Savings Bank the “Best of Bauer” for earning and maintaining its highest 5-star rating for 25 continuous years or longer. For more information, visit www.norwaysavingsbank.com.
