Press release
100 Small Businesses Owned by People of Color in Oakland Awarded a $10,000 Grant from Comcast RISE Totaling $1 Million
In continued effort to grow impact, program announces expansion to include all woman-owned small businesses nationwide --News Direct--Comcast today announced
About this update from Comcast Corporation
[{"type":"text","content":"In continued effort to grow impact, program announces expansion to include all woman-owned small businesses nationwide\n--News Direct--Comcast today announced it will award $1 million in total grants as well as technology and marketing resources to 100 Oakland small businesses owned by people of color. The recipients are among nearly 6,700 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected through the Comcast RISE program, which provides marketing, technology, and capital support to small business owners.To further build on the program’s success and provide support to even more small businesses, Comcast also announced today a major expansion to eligibility, enabling all women-owned small businesses nationwide to apply. This expansion recognizes and seeks to help address the persistent inequities women continue to face in accessing the resources and funding that are critical to success. Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, initially launched as a response to help small businesses owners of color hardest hit by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to focus on uplifting small businesses, ensuring they continue to prosper in an ever-shifting post-pandemic economy. “The pandemic had a huge negative impact on our business. We had to shut our doors for several months and once we re-opened there wasn’t a lot of foot traffic here in downtown Oakland. We applied for several loans, but all were rejected,” said Viviana Rodriguez-Smith, co-owner of E14 Gallery in Old Oakland and one of the 100 RISE recipients. “The $10,000 grant from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund is giving me peace of mind. It will allow me to buy more inventory and continue collaborating with other artists in Oakland.” “As we continue to rebuild and emerge from the effects of the pandemic, small businesses will continue to be the backbone of our economy – and we must take every opportunity to help them thrive,” said Dave Watson, President and CEO, Comcast Cable. “Looking forward, this expansion will enable Comcast RISE to further empower and strengthen even more small businesses that are the heart of our local communities across the country.”In the year since its inception, Comcast RISE has awarded more than $11 million in grants and $50 million in in-kind support for marketing and technology services, impacting more than 6,700 entrepreneurs...