Additionally, 71 small businesses owned by women and people of color in Michigan to receive technology makeover and marketing services from Comcast RISE
Comcast today announced the names of 100 small businesses owned by women and people of color in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park that will each receive a $10,000 grant from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund. Since the program’s inception, the company has awarded $2 million in Comcast RISE Investment Fund grants to local small businesses.
In addition to the $1 million in grants, Comcast will also award technology and marketing resources to 71 Michigan small businesses owned by women and people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, among others. The recipients are among more than 9,500 entrepreneurs nationwide who have been selected through the Comcast RISE program, which provides marketing, technology, and capital support to small business owners.
Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund initially launched in 2020 as a response to help small business owners of color who were hardest hit by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2021, Comcast announced a major expansion to eligibility, enabling all women-owned small businesses nationwide to apply. This expansion built on the program’s success and aims to help address the persistent inequities women continue to face in accessing the resources and funding that are critical to success.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and we must take every opportunity to support them,” said Shannon Dulin, Government Affairs manager for Comcast in Detroit. “We continue our commitment to contribute the resources needed to give small businesses owned by Michigan people of color and women the opportunity to not only survive in the current challenging economy, but also thrive.”
To date, Comcast RISE has awarded more than $16 million in grants and $75 million in in-kind support for marketing and technology services, impacting more than 9,500 entrepreneurs in 704 cities across 37 states. By the end of 2022, 13,000 businesses across the country are expected to benefit from the Comcast RISE initiative, either through the grant program or from the resources provided through Effectv, the advertising division of Comcast Cable, and Comcast Business. In addition to the financial and business support services provided, a key part of the program is ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses. To help address this, Comcast invests in and partners with organizations such as Ureeka to provide ongoing mentorship and resources to help small businesses succeed over the long term.
Comcast RISE stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment and is part of Project UP, the company’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.
More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com.
