Get Your Money Sis, Go and Get that Money
Most objectives are achieved in some form of support, whether its collaboration, partnership, sponsorship or all of the above. While there are federal resources allocated to support small businesses during the Coronavirus, not everyone in need is able to receive a portion of funding.
Strategies to find financial support include leveraging your networks to discover opportunities and initiatives, belonging to or following industry-specific groups on social media, and dedicating time to research keywords through web browsers. Sis, we are spilling all of the tea on how #EveryDopeGirl should chase the bag.
1. Through my network:
Champagne & Melanin™, “an ecosystem designed to create, collaborate & celebrate black women entrepreneurs,” distributes a weekly digital newsletter and email which both contain information related to current resources available to small business owners. As of the creation of this post, current opportunities include:
Applying for The TL Effect which provides venture capital to “an early stage consumer-focused company run by women of color…and is based in the United States.”
Micro-investing sponsored by digitalundivided which provides grants through small increments of investments to black women entrepreneurs. NOTE: On the digitalundivided website, micro-investing was formally identified as The Doonie Fund.
Small Business Administration Coronavirus Relief Options “to address the COVID-19 outbreak…which has caused unprecedented economic disruption.”
Business for All, “ the collective movement, powered by Hello Alice in partnership with Verizon…committed to lifting up small business.” This initiative provides grant funding, in addition to mentorship and advocacy to help small businesses “launch and grow.”
The Main Street Initiative, an initiative sponsored by Main Street “to help small businesses weather the immediate and longer-term challenges to operations.”
GoFund Me Disaster Relief is an initiative “intended to support our local business facing financial loss.” Small businesses within the United States can also apply for a matching grant.
Kabbage, an “online financial technology company” is allowing “any business [to] sign up to sell gift certificates online, and anyone can sign up to sell gift certificates online.”
Google Small Business Grant Relief, is a “$800+ million commitment to support small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMBs), health organizations and governments, and health workers on the frontline of this global pandemic.”
2. Social Media:
Freelancers Union and Blkcreatives netwrk on Twitter often retweet and create posts related to resources available to those in creative roles.
Black Girl Ventures, a nonprofit organization that is focused on “creat[ing] access to social capital and financial capital for Black/Brown women founders.” On their Instagram page, various posts contain information related to resource alerts that support minority and female-owned small businesses.
Black Enterprise recently created an Instagram post about The Social Change Fund which was “created by philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwayne Wade to support critical and timely issues impacting the Black community.”
3. Keywords to research via web browsers:
small business grants
nonprofit grants
minority owned business grants
black venture capital firms
black venture capital consortium
black venture capital funding
4. Other strategies to consider:
Google current topics, research google trends, and set up Google alerts for keywords related to the industry of your organization and the demographics you are a part of as a business owner or founder.
Although times are difficult, remember to stay motivated, network, and believe in your ability to succeed.
Nia Jarrett
Content Writer for EDG
@njrrtt