Community Futures Triple R (CFTR) has been making headway on some of its current projects and has exciting plans for the future.

The not-for-profit organization is federally funded and aims to help rural Canadians expand or start-up a business as a way to improve or sustain economic development, according to its website.

In a recent council meeting for the R.M. of Morris, CEO Debbie Fortier gave an update on how things are going.

Last year CFTR met its target of nine loans, which they provided to businesses in seven locations, including St-Pierre-Jolys, Steinbach, Morris, Hanover, Montcalm, Taché and De Salaberry. The total of loans added up to over $442,000.

A rather recent project that began last year is the Elevate program, an initiative to help business owners with disabilities. Funding resources from the federal government help with marketing, accounting, schooling and everyday costs. All 120 spots in Manitoba and Saskatchewan have been filled.

Community Futures also has programs for children who are interested in becoming involved with business training. One of them is “Biz camp,” an opportunity for children between the ages nine and 13 to attend a week-long workshop where they design a business plan and product, and then sell it in the community.

Something new the organization plans to pursue is a partnership with the Altona Chamber of Commerce to launch a pilot project to help local entrepreneurs.

The idea presented itself to Fortier last year when she attended the Ontario Provincial Conference where she learned about “Win this Space,” a competition where individuals can submit their business plans and the winner is awarded a bursary to put toward leasing a work space for their business. Fortier said she would like to do something similar in Altona next winter.