EOTSC20160214 (th) NeighborWorks Umpqua - investment opportunities

ATTENTION: FISHERMEN AND FISHERIES-RELATED BUSINESSES

FROM: Southwestern Oregon Food System Collaborative (SWOFSC)

SUBJECT: Business Investment Opportunities

CONTACT BY: February 15, 2016

SWOFSC’s Seafood Project is requesting input on business investment opportunities related to the south coast commercial fishing community. The Seafood Project is cataloguing business investment opportunities, and has an initial $45,000 in investment funds to allocate towards any private or semi-private fisheries project that may strengthen the economies of our local communities. The Seafood Project is seeking input to help complete the inventory; please share any seafood/fisheries investment opportunities that meet the following eligibility requirements: 

· Project opportunities must increase the economic value of local, traceable seafood, while improving the vitality of the south coast commercial fishing economy; 

· Investments must have general community support, with the potential to lead to further long-term collaborations; 

· Projects must impact the community positively in a measurable way by addressing a critical need in the fishing· industry

From initial conversations with south coast port managers, commodity commissions, fishermen, restaurant owners, and other business owners, the Seafood Project has identified the following list of private and semiprivate investment opportunities. Note that proposals for investment are not required to fit within the following list. 

Infrastructure opportunities

·  Ice machine(s)

·  Fish waste disposal, ie. liquid fish fertilizer

·  Transportation and distribution

·  Cold storage facilities

·  Fisher-processor cooperative

·  Safety raft repackaging outfits

·  Value-added infrastructure for individual businesses (ie. fish smoker)

Education opportunities

·  Fishermen education: new/young fishermen mentorship programs

·  Buyer/consumer education: whole fish education; tasting events; quality of frozen product education

Marketing opportunities

·  Restaurant-fisherman connection (ie. local fish market)

The Seafood Project group is now seeking further investment opportunities not yet mentioned on this list. If your business, Port, or community has a critical need to address within the commercial fishing industry for these initial or for future investment funds, we want to hear it. This list will be used to determine the initial $45,000 investment, but will also be used by the Seafood Project Group to find additional funding opportunities for this region. Our first business investment will be selected in March 2016. Preference is given toward opportunities that show an adequate business plan, any in-kind participation, and/or community support. Letters of interest for subsequent investments are also welcomed.

Applications for the Business Investment Opportunities program are due by February 15. For additional information or to apply, contact Michelle Martin at mmartin@nwumpqua.org or (541) 414-6368.