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April 21, 2025, 5:52 pm UTC

Little Bear Canoe Compan 021-52-7466 | Government Grant Application

Little Bear Canoe Compan | Application Preview

 

Little Bear Canoe Company (LBC) is seeking government grant funding due to a catastrophic fire that destroyed their workshop and all equipment. The funds will be essential for rebuilding the shop and replacing the lost equipment, allowing LBC to resume operations.

For over 20 years, LBC has successfully grown its business through effective marketing and targeted customer engagement. However, with the recent loss, the company faces significant challenges in continuing its operations.

LBC is one of the few manufacturers of traditional cedar rib and plank canoes, focusing on a unique 5-foot model that helps preserve the age-old craft of canoe building. This niche market faces very few competitors; while some larger companies like L.L. Bean and Old Town Canoes offer limited traditional models, they primarily focus on full-sized canoes.

LBC's competitive advantage lies in its specialization in model canoes and custom canoe lights. Unlike standard models, LBC's offerings can be tailored to customer preferences with various colors and lighting options, making them highly unique and personalized. This distinctiveness positions LBC favorably in the market and reinforces the importance of supporting the company through grant funding.

  • General Information

    Business Registration Number: 021-52-7466

    Location: milo, ME, United States

    Length of Operation: 20+

    Number of Employees:

    Annual Gross Income:

    Annual Gross Expense:

    Open to Loans: YES

  • Funding Usage

    LBC suffered from a devastating fire which completed destroyed the shop and all equipment. The funding would be used to rebuild and replace the shop and equipment i order to continue its operation.

  • Business Plan

    LBC has been growing over the last 20+ years via marketing and customer targeting. With the complete loss of the canoe shop and equipment, LBC is unable to continue its operations. Little Bear Canoe Company is one of only a handful of manufacturers of traditional cedar rib and plank canoes. While LBC's canoes are 5' model, it is keeping the tradition of canoe building alive.

  • Self Identified Competition

    There are very few competitors as traditional model canoe building is a niche. L L Bean sold models at one time and may be selling them again, and Old Town Canoes sells a limited amount of model canoes. Most traditional canoe builders, build full size canoes. There are very few people/companies making model canoes and canoe lights. While there are standard canoe models, the canvas covered canoes can be painted in any color, painted two-tone, but the 8' canoe lights can be made totally unique and tailored to individual customer requests using a variety of lighting options and color options.

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