The DBJ’s Voucher for Technical Assistance: Providing Business Support

The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is aware that local entrepreneurs in the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) sector face many difficulties in setting up and expanding their businesses.

As the lead organisation with the mandate to facilitate economic growth and development, the DBJ has always been responsive to the needs of, and calls for assistance from, the business community.

Therefore, in addition to providing loans at competitive interest rates, the DBJ has implemented the Voucher for Technical Assistance (VTA) to meet some of the capacity development needs of the MSME community to improve their access to financing and make them more viable and sustainable.

Many entrepreneurs often need assistance to prepare business plans or to create financial statements and other documents that are necessary to qualify for a loan. They may also need help with marketing, auditing, or more than 20 other types of services to put their companies on a sustainable path.

The VTA is geared at helping close those gaps.

Under the programme, the DBJ issues electronic vouchers for these services, which are delivered through business development organisations.

Since it was introduced in May 2014, more than 300 vouchers have been distributed to entrepreneurs across the island to both male and female-owned businesses in a variety of industries.

Vouchers can be accessed through your financial institutions or by directly applying online at www.dbjvoucher.com.

To learn more about the VTA, contact the DBJ at 11a-15 Oxford Road, or telephone 929-4000/619-4000; or www.dbankjm.com.