Comcast RISE Investment Fund is providing 100 D.C. minority-owned small businesses with $10,000 grants. (Courtesy Photo)
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer
Report for America Corps Member
msayles@afro.com
Comcast on Sept. 14th announced that it would award $1 million in grants to small businesses owned by people of color in Washington, D.C., and the application deadline closes on Thursday (Oct. 14).
The grants are a part of the Comcast RISE program, which was created in late 2020 to advance minority-owned small businesses across the country. RISE stands for “representation, investment, strength and empowerment,” and the program constitutes Comcast’s larger $100 million diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative.
One hundred of these businesses in D.C. will be selected to receive a $10,000 grant through the Comcast RISE Investment Fund.
“When we launched Comcast RISE, we knew a profound need existed in many of the communities we serve,” said Michael Parker, Senior Vice President for Comcast’s Beltway Region. “We have now seen firsthand the program’s positive impact on business owners and their suppliers and customers up and down their resource chains – and we’re thrilled to be introducing the Investment Fund with $1 million in grants to DC-based people of color owned small businesses.”
D.C. was one of six cities, including Houston, Miami, Oakland, Seattle and the Twin Cities, to be selected for the second round of grants from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund. To be eligible for the grant, businesses must have been in operation for three or more years with 1 to 25 employees.
Comcast will also provide 93 business owners in D.C. who were not selected for the grant with technology and marketing resources, which will include media campaigns, advertising consulting and technology equipment upgrades.
The winners will be announced in November, and grants will be awarded in December.
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