EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

THE Rural Woman together with the Narromine Shire Council are inviting women who would like to start or grow a business to express an interest in learning more about THE Seed Scheme.

THE Seed Scheme is one of the most exciting micro-focused projects in rural Australia.

Perhaps you are a rural woman who has been lacking the support you need to start or scale that online business.

How much could your business grow with a year of support and training?

Our Sponsor Partner Narromine Shire Council is excited to announce that it will be providing seed-funding for 10 women in Narromine to receive support to get their online micro-enterprise established or growing in 2019-2020.

Applicants must reside in the postcode of 2821.

We are seeking Expressions of Interest from those who would like to participate in THE Seed Scheme.

An online information session will be held, helping you to fully understand what benefits you will gain from THE Seed Scheme. You will be automatically registered once you submit your Expression of Interest.

 

Other dates of interest:

Information session – Week of 14 October 2019

Applications open – 14 October 2019

Applications close – Friday 25 October 2019, 5pm AEDT

Successful applicants announced – Friday 8 November 2019 by email

If successful you will receive

  • Weekly LIVE online mentoring and training in business and technology (valued at $5,500)
  • Access to a dedicated POD Facilitator. The POD Facilitator helps you connect with fellow Seed Scheme Members and develop a local support network
  • Access to an online platform giving you CONNECTION to your pod members and other THE Rural Woman members.  You will have the ability to promote your events within this platform.
  • Access to a network of hundreds of rural women across the country who are also starting/running their own online business.
  • 24/7 access to hundreds of hours of recorded training videos in marketing, sales, financial management, product development, events, social media, mindset and business (valued at $6,000+).
Register Now

Fill out this form so we can send you an application pack.

WHAT IS THE SEED SCHEME?

THE Seed Scheme helps rural woman start or scale up their own online business. Our Sponsor Partners provides an 80% scholarship towards a year’s worth of business and leadership training.

THE GOALS

Our goal is that through training, mentoring and community support, every Member of THE Seed Scheme achieves: 

  • Clarity  in her vision and ambition, in her product/service, in her financial goal and profitability, in her marketing and sales processes,
  • Confidence in herself, to take her product/service to market, in her ability to succeed
  • Connection to the tools and training she needs to achieve her goals, the technology required to take her product/service to market and manage it effectively, to other rural women for mutual support, advice, collaboration and encouragement, connection to Partners and their extended network

GET EXCITED ABOUT THE SEED SCHEME

  • Enables the development of 700 women-led enterprises in rural and regional communities in 12-18 months
  • Injects $17.5 million or more into the rural Australian economy in the first year
  • Provides 12 months FREE business and leadership training and weekly mentoring
  • Returns social and economic value to small towns, villages and regional centres nationally
  • Provides a regenerative online eco-system to ensure the success of the enterprises
  • Encourages and supports collaboration between all enterprises
  • Empowers rural women to #livelocalgrowglobal and share their extraordinary talents, intellect, skills, products and services to serve a much wider audience
  • Will support the emergence of powerful women-led enterprise clusters in local communities through strategic investment and partnering

WHO ARE OUR SEED SCHEME MEMBERS

Our Members are women drawn from across Australia who have an idea or a passion for starting a new venture, launching an idea or creating enterprise or business and are dedicated to doing the work – and receiving the support to get started!

Members will be selected through a competitive application process for the region/area of the supporting Partner’s choice.

Priority will be given to women who are:

  • Living in a Rural Regional or Remote locality
  • Wanting to start a business (while still employed)
  • Currently un-employed or under-employed (part time/casual
  • Aged 55+
  • Indigenous
  • Impacted by drought
  • In an area of high socio-economic disadvantage
  • From a migrant or refugee background
  • Seeking off-farm income
  • Interested in value adding existing product
  • Experiencing isolation
  • Demonstrating a willingness to invest in themselves
    (20% of cost of program $6/week for first 12 months)

WHO IS THE RURAL WOMAN

THE Rural Woman’s mission is to re-imagine connection for isolated people and to enable rural women to both #livelocalgrowglobal and #bloomwheretheyare

Since launching in 2014, the THE Rural Woman has been delivering award-winning world-class mentoring, training and coaching in business, leadership and personal development. With the head office located in the outback opal mining town of Lightning Ridge, NSW, the business has a team of 15 across Australia and Asia including coaches, administrative, tech and training consultants, a membership of 100+ active users and a weekly reach of 20,000-30,000, THE Rural Woman is a rapidly expanding influencer and activator in the use of technology and micro-enterprise to catalyse the renewal of rural communities in Australia and across the world.

In 2015 we were recognised as a Regional Online Hero by Google and Regional Australia Institute and in 2016 we won the Lexus & Collective Hub Start Up Award. In 2019 we were awarded Coup de Couer Du Jury at the Women in Tech International Challenge in Paris.

THE COMMITMENT

The Narromine Shire Council has provided 10 subsidies of 80% of the program cost for participation in THE Seed Scheme.

 

This subsidy covers:

  • 12 months support through a proven online Business, Leadership and Personal Development Program.
  • 12 months access to THE Rural Woman online community platform and the ability to promote your own courses and events through this platform 
  • Access to an online micro-enterprise ecosystem for connecting with other rural women, subject matter experts, mentors and advisors for support, advice and encouragement

As a successful THE Seed Scheme member you will pay $24/month which contributes to the following:

  • 50% =contribution to a ‘Growth Funding Pool’ whereby Founders can pitch for loans to grow their micro-enterprise to the next level 
  • 25% = pay it forward subsidies for 2021 THE Seed Scheme
  • 25% = pay it forward globally for women in micro-enterprise

Tell me more!

YOUR CONTRIBUTION

  • Members must agree to participate fully in all aspects of the program and make a commitment to meet deadlines and follow the established program
  • Members must ensure they have good access to internet
  • Members will contribute 20% of the cost to participate – $6 per week to THE Seed Scheme to ensure they have ‘skin in the game’ and are used to paying a monthly fee. Once the seed-funding period ends they will be invited to continue accessing the weekly training, support and technology on a fee for service basis.

TIME COMMITMENT

Most enterprises and businesses do not succeed because the founders/owners do not spend sufficient time working ON the enterprise. This time is YOUR time to focus on the structure, systems and strategy of your enterprise or business and is enormously valuable. It will SAVE you time and money in the future as you will be more clear and confident.

The time commitment is approx between 2-5 hours a week – this includes

  • 2 x 1 hour LIVE training/mentoring sessions
  • self-paced courses 
  • action taking
  • meeting with your POD

If you cannot commit to this, please do NOT submit an expression of interest. 

We are only willing to work with Members who are willing to put in the time and effort required to get the most out of this opportunity.