Imagine winning a share of $60,000 in cash and prizes and free information on how to run a bigger and better business in 2019. Don’t imagine, do it with the 15th annual Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge.

“The Chinook Entrepreneur Challenge is open to entrepreneurs who have an existing business, or who will be launching an existing business by the end of this year. They have an opportunity to attend eight different training sessions that help develop the key components of their business plan,” explained Wendy Gerbrandt of Community Futures Wildrose.

The challenge offers participants free business training and consulting and the chance to win a share of $60,000 in cash and prizes.

The corporate challenge is held in partnership between Community Futures Wildrose and Bow Valley College in Strathmore.

There are weekly training sessions each Wednesday from January 9 to February 27 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. held at the Bow Valley College campus in Strathmore. The courses are available online as well.

On April 4 participants will submit their completed business plans and on May 24 give their final presentations at Community Futures in Lethbridge.

“As they enter into each of these training sessions they will acquire the knowledge that they need to help build their plan. From there they will also have the ability to work with a business analyst from our office and compete among the other Community Futures offices in Southern Alberta that are participating in this challenge,” she said.

The challenge is a great opportunity for local business owners. The program is also free for participants.

Individuals attend the training sessions where they earn points and valuable knowledge to be used to build their business plans.

Those plans are then submitted and judged before the winners are chosen.

There are two grand prizes of $10,000 and four runner-up prizes of $2,500 along with additional in-kind prizes. There are a number of chances to win. Winners or subject to regulations where they must provide proof of receipts that show the money is being used to expand, start or improve their business.

“They can find out those rules, or regulations in our participant handbook,” said Gerbrandt.

There’s still lots of time to register, all the way up to April 3.

Training session are recorded, so participants can go back and review information, although they won’t be able to collect points.

Live training sessions can be attended in person at Strathmore Bow Valley College campus, or by webinar.

“They can come to Strathmore’s Bow Valley College and we are happy to accommodate the viewing of those training sessions as well there,” said Gerbrandt.

Interested individuals can contact the Community Futures office in Strathmore for more information or visit chinookchallenge.com, or training and registration details.