100 Small Business Operators Receive SDC Grants

One hundred entrepreneurs from Kingston, Clarendon and St. Catherine have received support for their small businesses in the form of special entrepreneurship grants under the Local Economic Development Support Programme (LEDSP).

The special entrepreneurship grant was introduced by the Social Development Commission (SDC) in financial year 2021/2022 as part of its expanded suite of business development initiatives under the LEDSP.

The agency said 1,021 small businesses have received a combined $46.6 million in grants under the programme as of 2025.

Another 250 entrepreneurs are expected to receive grants under the programme this financial year.

Recipients are chosen using a community-based development model where nominations are submitted through Members of Parliament, SDC parish offices, civil society organisations and other key stakeholders.

The 100 recipients were presented with their grants during a ceremony at the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, in Kingston, today (July 17).

They included single mothers, persons living with disabilities and individuals striving to overcome personal and financial challenges.

In his address at the ceremony, Minister of Local Government & Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the programme has allowed hundreds of Jamaicans to become the masters of their own destiny.

“We within Local Government and the SDC can say that we have contributed to the reduction in unemployment because of programmes such as this, where thousands of  young [and] middle-aged people, from small communities, have been able to join the band of many Jamaicans who have gained meaningful and long-lasting employment,” the Minister said.

He urged the beneficiaries to use the grants to expand their businesses, with the aim of providing employment to others in their communities.

Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, noted that the grants are a part of Government’s deliberate strategy designed to give grassroots people a shot at economic freedom.

“These grants are providing new hope, new possibilities, and new opportunities to communities across Jamaica, and that is what inclusive economic growth looks like,” Senator Morris Dixon said.

She pointed out that the entrepreneurship grant programme is aligned with broader work being done across government and the work being done by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.

“There’s a reason we are focusing on entrepreneurship. As a Government, we understand that it is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce poverty, to stimulate economic growth and to empower our communities,” the Minister said.

She emphasised that the grants “are not just something on a piece of paper”,

“It is lives that have been changed. It is businesses that have been built. It’s children who can go to school more easily because of the business. So, what it means is in the future, that family’s outlook is going to be so much brighter. So, it’s not just a little grant. These are grants that are changing the dynamics of our communities and, ultimately, will change the prospects of our country,” Senator Morris Dixon outlined.

In his remarks, SDC’s Executive Director, Omar C. Frith, stressed that the agency continues to advance the economic development of communities through its integrated community development strategy.

He urged the recipients to utilise the grants to boost their businesses and transform their lives.

Meanwhile, Director of Local Economic Development at the SDC, Avril Ranger, noted that today’s ceremony marked another important milestone in the agency’s mission to strengthen Jamaica’s economic resilience, particularly at the community level.

“This ceremony is not just about awarding grants. It’s about investing in people, supporting dreams, and reinforcing the backbone of local economic development across the island,” she affirmed.

Ms. Ranger emphasised that the special entrepreneurship grant process is inclusive and data-driven, with recipients chosen based on clear, fair and transparent criteria.

These include demonstration of the need in the community, the financial need of the applicant, growth potential of the business and the applicant’s commitment to community development.

“The special entrepreneurship grants are being issued to a diverse mix of grassroots enterprises to include farming and agriculture, grocery shops and variety shops, hair stylists and salons, small business operators of restaurants, furniture making, welding and woodworking, digital and creative ventures, including content creators acquiring laptops and tools essential to their trade, among others,” Ms. Ranger pointed