* SBA PAYROLL PROTECTION PLAN (PPP):the second round closed on August 8. The first round o was $350 billion that went to 1.6 million businesses, with 3/4 of the awards less than $150,000, according to the SBA. the second round was $320 billion, $60 billion of which was mandated to go through community-based lenders. Note: The U.S. Senate passed legislation in early June called the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act that made it easier for the PPP to become forgivable, changing it from a loan into a grant. The act: Extended the eight-week period to 24 weeks to qualify for loan forgiveness, Changed the rule that required you to use 75% of the funds for payroll (The new ratio became at least 60% on payroll and no more than 40% on other costs). and If your PPP remains a loan, you now have five years instead of two to pay it back, with a the rate of 1 percent, i.e., one of the lowest-cost sources of capital available.
*NYC SBS EMPLOYEE RETENTION GRANT:APPLICATION period closed.This is the $10 million funding pool that covered 40% of payroll for business with less than 5 staffpeople. in the first round of funding, 1,200 or more small businesses were awarded an average of about $7,000 each. for a short time, itreceived additional funding for eligible businesses that met the application deadline and qualified.
* NYC SBS BUSINESS CONTINUITY FUND:APPLICATION period closed. This was the $20 million funding pool for zero-interest loans of up to $75,000 for businesses with under 100 workers whose revenues had dropped by 25% over 60 days. more than 15,000 businesses initially applied, 8,500 completed their applications, and About 600 qualified, according to The City. Sources close to the process said the funding covered 250-400 businesses, depending on the size of the loans. application requests totaled something like half a billion dollars.
U.S. SBA Community Advantage Recovery Loans (CARL): APPLICATION period closed. applications were open through september 27 and loans were disbursed by october 1. the community advantage was spearheaded in 2011 to increase U.S. Small Business Administration-guaranteed loans to small businesses in underserved areas. Community Advantage Recovery Loans (CARL) were created to help small businesses located in underserved areas make adjustments to their business models for COVID-19 and build financial resiliency against potential future disruptions. CARL loans ranged from $50,000-$250,000 at interest rates of 2.75 to 6 percent, and were offered by online lender Lendistry. To apply, click here.
1010 wins:APPLICATION period closed.1010 WINS and BNB Bank are offering awards of $10,000 for small businesses with up to 100 employees. Up to ten Businesses will be selected by a judging panel made up of Station team members who will base their selection on the originality, persuasiveness and creativity of the Essays and the worthiness of the use to be made of the $10,000 prize.
Another Round, Another Rally:APPLICATION period closed Due to overwhelming response. was offering $500 relief grants for hospitality workers who have lost their jobs or had their hours slashed in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Apollo theater Cares: APPLICATION period closed.was offering $1,000 micro-grants to local small businesses that define the culture and vitality of Harlem. Applications were open from June 3-25. This program was in partnership with the 125th Street BID and Harlem Commonwealth Council.
AVEENO SKIN HEALTH STARTUP ACCELERATOR:APPLICATIONS closed JANUARY 25.was offering a chance to win $100,000 for your skincare business, plus ongoing mentorship opportunities from Aveeno and Essence.
* Bartender Emergency Assistance Program: APPLICATION period closed as of june 15 due to overwhelming response.from the U.S. Bartenders Guild: Bartenders, and spouses and children of bartenders, were eligible to apply for financial relief from the U.S. Bartenders Guild. You did not need to be a member of the Guild to apply.
Beauty Changes Lives:APPLICATION period closed. THESE ARE $1,000 grants for licensed beauty professionals who are out of work due to the coronavirus.
BEYGOOD BLACK-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS FUND: APPLICATION period closed. BeyGood teamed up with the NAACP to award grants of $10,000 on the 15th of each month through the end of 2020 to to uninsured or underinsured Black-owned small businesses.
* Business for ALL / HELLO ALICE: as of november 10,APPLICATION period closed.Business for All is a national movement to lift up 100,000 small business owners to receive mentorship and up to $50,000 in grant funding.In partnership with Verizon, as part of the Business for All movement, every applicant received access to opportunities, guides and networks to help their business grow. If your business had been severely impacted by COVID-19, you were eligible to apply for immediate support in the form of $10,000 grants. THEY ALSO HAVE AN ONLINE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE CENTER.
COMCAST RISE: SECOND ROUND OF APPLICATIONs closed FEBRUARY 7. Offered marketing consultation, media placement, commercial creative production services, or technology services from Effectv and Comcast Business. The deadline for the first round closed November 7 for businesses that are at least 51 percent Black-owned and operated. Starting November 24, all BIPOC-owned businesses had an opportunity to apply.
* DOONIE FUND: APPLICATION period closed, and east harlem’s own Jam+rico and the rosario group are grantees!A social startup called digitalundivided provided a new fund called The Doonie Fund, named after the CEO’s grandmother, WITH aid specifically for Black female entrepreneurs who had experienced hardships as a result of COVID-19. The fund, which was established on April 5, helped more than 93 entrepreneurs by providing micro-investments of $500 or less.
DoorDash WINTER WEATHER GRANT:APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED AS OF NOVEMBER 6.DOORDASH launched a $1.8 million grant program tO award $5,000 grants to restaurants in markets where winter weather will significantly impact the feasibility of outdoor dining and thus total on-premise sales. Eligible restaurants include concepts with three stores or less, $3 million or less annual revenue per store in 2019, 50 employees or less per store and must be located in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco or San Jose. You do not have to use DoorDash in order to apply. Applications will be open until this Friday, November 6. note that you must first make an account with Hello Alice.
FACEBOOK GRANTS PROGRAM: APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED. Facebook is offering $100 million in cash grants and ad credits for up to 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries where Facebook operates for disruptions resulting from the global outbreak of COVID-19. To be eligible to apply, you must have between 2-50 employees, and have been in business for more than a year. Facebook’s chief diversity officer Maxine Williams has announced that 50 percent of the grants will be prioritized for minority, women and veteran-owned businesses.
FACEBOOK GRANT FOR BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES: APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED AUGUST 31. Facebook has committed to invest $100 million this year in Black-owned small businesses, Black creators, and nonprofits that serve the Black community. Their business grants offer $2,500 in cash and $1,500 in ad credits to be used on Facebook platforms. To qualify, your business must: Be a majority Black-owned for-profit business, Have between 1 and 50 employees, Have been in business for more than a year, Have experienced challenges from COVID-19, AND Plan to use the grant funds to support the business and community.
Fashion Designers of America & VOGUE:APPLICATION period closed."A COMMON THREAD" grants OFFER up to $100,000 for fashion industry businesses that are at least two years old, employ no more than 30 people, and generate less than $10 million in revenue a year.
FED EX SMALL BUSINESS GRANTS:APPLICATION period closed.FED EX IS PROVIDed $1 million in grants for small businesses in the united states. Each grant recipient could receive $5,000, plus a $500 credit from FedEx Office that could be used for printing banners, posters, floor graphics, custom branded boxes, and more.
FITPRO RELIEF FUND:APPLICATION period closed. was A $500,000 relief fund for fitness professionals that were most impacted by COVID-19, CREATED by Peter and Kathie Davis and Inspire360. Approximately 500 applicants received on average $1,000 each to help meet their immediate needs. Awards were limited to one grant per person.
FUNDROCKET: APPLICATIONS now closed, but fundrocket continues to offer capital in its traditional model.FundRocket has partnered with Womply and Postmates to offer $1,000 interest-free via their online platform. Apply in minutes, get approved within 24 hours, and, once approved, get funds as soon as the next business day. With FundRocket, there is no fixed repayment schedule. You pay as a percentage of sales. If business is slow, you pay slower and if business is booming, you pay faster.
GOOGLE GRANTS PROGRAM: applications now closed.Google is offering a number of programs, including providing $340 million in Google Ads credits to small- and mid-sized businesses with active accounts over the past year. Credit notifications will appear in your Google Ads account and can be used at any point until the end of 2020 across Google advertising platforms.
HENNESSY “UNFINISHED BUSINESS”: APPLICATION period closed.grants OF $5,000-$15,000 for Black businesses that have been in existence for at least two years. thE FUNDS WILL BE DISPERSED BY dispersed by ONE HUNDRED BLACK MEN. THE INITIAL ROUND IS OPEN JUNE 22 THOUGH JULY 1.
HENNESSY UNFINISHED BUSINESS:APPLICATIONS CLOSED NOVEMBER 23.Hennessy has launched Unfinished Business, a new program in partnership with 100 Black Men, the Hispanic Federation and the Asian-American Business Development Center that will provide immediate relief and long-term support to Black, Asian, and Latinx small-business owners. Other requirements include less than $3 million sales per year, that you’ve been in business at least two years as of March 2020, that you not have an alcohol beverage license. In the spirit of Hennessy’s ethos “Never Stop, Never Settle,” your business must intend to support the community in the future.
* James Beard Foundation Emergency Relief Fund: The application period is closed, but you can check back for future opportunities.A fund for restaurants that are independently owned and have 100 or less full- or part-time employees as of February 15, 2020. The foundation has been awarding grants of up to $15,000 each.
LISC / VERIZON:APPLICATION was open FEBRUARY 8-9.Verizon hosted the Big Concert for Small Business after the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 7. The next day, LISC launched the application for a $10,000 grant. small businesses across the U.S. were eligible, particularly in historically underserved communities hit hard by the pandemic. Eligible expenses for the grant included: Paying rent and utilities, meeting payroll, paying outstanding debt to vendors, upgrading technology infrastructure, and other immediate operational costs. The form closed at 11:59 p.m. on February 9.
LISC Small Business Relief & Recovery: APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED AS OF NOVEMBER 6.will award $10,000 grants to New York City minority-owned small businesses that face challenges in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Requirements: Minority-owned (African American, Latinx, Asian, Native Amerian or Pacific Islander), Annual revenue of less than $500,000, Fewer than 20 employees, Located in New York City, AND Formally registered and in business for at least one year. Uptown Grand Central is a community partneron this grant application, along withHarlem Park to Park, the New York Women's Chamber of Commerce and West Harlem Group Assistance. This means that East Harlem businesses should first apply to Uptown Grand Central, which will then process your application to send to LISC.
*LISC Small Business Recovery Fund: Application period for the sixth round closed on september 7.Thanks to a $7.5 million investment from Verizon, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is offering grants of up to $10,000 to businesses facing immediate financial pressure because of COVID-19 -- especially entrepreneurs of color, women-owned businesses and other enterprises in historically under-served communities who don’t have access to flexible, affordable capital. The funding can be used for paying rent and utilities, meeting payroll, paying outstanding debt to vendors and other immediate operational costs. applications for this round were open through september 7.
LISC & LOWE’S NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS GRANTS:APPLICATIOn period closed august 23. Thanks to a $15 million investment from LOWE’S, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is offering $20,000 grants to 750 businesses in 15 cities nationwide, including New York City. The program will focus on underserved communities that often lack access to flexible, affordable capital. The goal is for 95 percent of grantees to be businesses owned by minorities and women. Grant funds may be used to: Pay rent and utilities, meet payroll, pay outstanding debt to vendors, upgrade technology infrastructure, and take care of other immediate operational costs. Note: This program is separate from previous small business grant applications from LISC. Businesses must submit a new application to be considered for a Neighborhood Business Grant.
NYC LMI STOREFRONT LOAN:APPLICATION period closed due to overwhelming demand.On the day before Thanksgiving, the city announced this new 0% interest loan program to help storefront businesses located in low-to-moderate income (LMI) areas of New York City restart or continue operations after experiencing challenges from COVID-19. The program includes ZIP codes 10035 and 10029. The NYC Department of Small Business Services is partnering with Pursuit to service these loans, which can be in amounts up to $100,000. The loan term is 60 months, including no payments the first six months.
MainStreet ONLINE powered by Google:APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED OCTOBER 30. pairs small business owners with COOP students, who are trained in e-commerce and supervised by an experienced strategist, to build an optimized Shopify online store for businesses for free and help them reach new customers with Google tools. Small businesses will get hands-on assistance setting up a Shopify website and free product listings on the Google shopping tab, an optimized free Business Profile on Google Search and Maps, and support building effective Smart Shopping campaigns on Google.
NAACP POWERSHIFT FOR BLACK BUSINESSES:APPLICATION PERIOD CLOSED AS OF OCTOBER 12.WAS "Shark Tank"’s Daymond John’s quest to findnine up-and-coming Black entrepreneurs and award them $25,000 eachto help grow and scale their businesses during a time they need it most. In addition to the monetary compensation, the winner will receive mentorship from and join him live on air to showcase their businesses in an event called Black Entrepreneur's Day on October 24. Facebook will also provide $1,000 in Facebook ad credits and mentorship/support to each of the seven winners.
* National Restaurant Worker Relief Fund: APPLICATIOn period closed.from Restaurant Opportunities Centers United: The National Restaurant Worker Relief Fund is a pool of money raised by members and donors of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United. They are providing financial assistance to restaurant workers impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS:check list to see which deals may still be available. Has provided a list of tech companies that are offering free services to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, from help with working remotely and other tech solutions.
NYC Restaurant Revitalization Fund: APPLICATIOn period closed, and east harlem’s own dear mama coffee is a grantee!The program was a grant, and most restaurants selected were funded at $30,000 each. The pot was not big ($3 million) and only covered about 100 restaurants. The requirements were that: 1. You pay your workers $20/hour during the time period (you can select 6-12 weeks). After the time period was over, you could drop to a lower pay rate, as long as you committed to raising wages to $15/hour plus tips over time. 2. You committed serving 500 free meals for the community. Application preference was given to restaurants who proposed a higher number of giveaways. The program received some criticism that it had too many requirements. The first round of applications were due June 19, with first awards to be announced starting the week of June 22. Applications continued to be approved after the first round on a rolling basis, pending availability of funds. All parts of Harlem were included in the program.
RAISING THE BAR: NYS RESTAURANT RECOVERY FUND:APPLICATIONS CLOSED AS OF MID-JANUARY 2021. Is offering $5,000 to full-service restaurants affected by the pandemic, especially during winter months. The $3 million fund is made possible by New York State, Diageo Wine & Spirits, Southern Glazer Wines & Spirits and The National Development Council (NDC). Grant funding will be managed by The National Development Council (NDC).
* RED BACKPACK FUND: application period closed september 15. Women’s undergarment company Spanx IS DONATING $5 million to support women business owners negatively impacted by COVID-19. 1,000 female business owners within the United States will receive $5,000 of funding. Applications will be open until August. In addition to the financial gift, each woman will also receive a “lucky” red backpack. ALL WINNERS will also receive a free annual All-Access Pass to all 80+ MasterClass instructors, including Sara Blakely’s class on entrepreneurship.
*restaurant strong fund:application period closed. Following the success of the Massachusetts launch in mid-March, Samuel Adams is donating over $2,000,000 to kickstart funding in states across the country. TO QUALIFY FOR GRANT ASSISTANCE, YOU MUST have been a full-time restaurant employee who was employed for three months or longer at the same location.
RESTAURANT STRONG FUND WINTERIZE GRANT: APPLICATION PERIOD closed NOVEMBER 21.The Greg Hill Foundation has teamed up with Grubhub to create a new grant opportunity for restaurants through Restaurant Strong Fund. To support Restaurant owners in their efforts to Winterize their outdoor dining spaces and increase their capacity for guests, The Restaurant Strong Fund will be provide $10,000 grants to restaurants that have 5 or fewer locations and are located in the following cities; Boston, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia. Restaurants will have the opportunity to apply for this grant by providing specific plans on winterizing their outdoor dining spaces. The campaign is supported with a $2 million grant recommended from Grubhub Community Relief Fund and the application for grants will open on Monday, November 9. The Restaurant Strong Fund will be accepting 1,000 grant applications for each city and initial grants will be awarded to restaurants on a rolling basis starting on November 23.
* ReThink Food Restaurant Response Program: APPLICATIONS closed, and east harlem's own taco mix is a grantee!The nonprofit Rethink Food will offer $40,000 grants for up to 30 restaurants to stay open and produce subsidized food that can be purchased by New Yorkers in need during the COVID-19 outbreak.
* Salesforce Care Small Business Grants: APPLICATIONS now closed. Salesforce is providing $10,000 grants to small businesses impacted by COVID-19. These grants will support small businesses as they work to replenish supplies, pay salaries, pivot to adapt to these challenging times and more.
* save small business fund: Applications opened and closed within a few hours on April 20.launched by The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Vistaprint and with support from Merck, S&P Global Foundation and Travelers. The grant will address small businesses’ immediate needs like closures and job losses. Companies can qualify if they have between 3-20 employees, are located in an economically vulnerable community INCLUDING HARLEM and have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. The fund hopes to distribute at least 200 grants OF $5,000 EACH per week for an undetermined amount of time.
* Shea Moisture Community Commerce Fund:Applications closed as of april 15. THIS WAS A $1 MILLION RELIEF FUND for business owners of color that will award grants of $5,000 each to minority-owned businesses that are finding creative ways to support their communities during COVID-19. They are also launching a SheaMoisture eLearning hub. SheaMoisture WAS partnering with We Buy Black to award the funds.
* TruFund’s minority Small Business COVID-19 Relief Fund: APPLICATIONS closed as of june 30. TruFund has launched a $5 million fund to support disadvantaged minority and women-owned businesses. The fund will include grants up to $10,000 to qualified applicants, and no application or closing fees for loans up to $75,000. Loan interest will accrue at 3% and payments may be deferred for 9-12 months. These funds may be used for operating expenses.
UREEKA POWERUP PROGRAM:applications closed as of october, after being extended once.Google made a $3 million grant to the Ureeka PowerUp Fund. PowerUp will award more than 500 eligible LatinX small businesses across California, Texas and New York with a $5,000 grant paired with coaching support and resources. If awarded, you must be willing to devote two hours per month to business training.
yelp: application period closed as of may 25. for businesses who advertise or want to advertise on yelp,Yelp is offered advertising credits for small, independently owned restaurants and bars. On March 20, they announced a $25 million fund, primarily focused on supporting independent, local restaurant and nightlife businesses, in the form of waived advertising fees and free advertising, products, and services during this period.
