Today we are proud to announce that applications are open for the second round of the Keep It Local Business Fund, providing microgrants to entrepreneurs of color through the Nextdoor Kind Foundation. We will be disbursing an additional $100,000 to entrepreneurs of color across the country.
Earlier this year, the Nextdoor Kind Foundation launched the first round of the Keep It Local Business Fund in partnership with the NAACP and Hello Alice. We were thrilled to receive more than 7,000 submissions from across the U.S. and awarded 20 U.S. small business owners of color $5,000 each in microgrants, enabling them to help strengthen and support their communities at a local level.
Sylvia C. Blassengale, director, co-owner, and primary guide at Wheatley Montessori School in Greenville, SC, and a previous Keep It Local grant recipient, says: “If you have the passion and determination of owning your own business as well as making a significant contribution to your community, the Nextdoor Kind Foundation will provide the support to help you succeed.”
The Nextdoor Kind Foundation believes when many are struggling with daily expenses, that we all have a responsibility as good neighbors to raise our hands to help. For this reason, we are focused on microgrants to individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses to support neighborhoods at the hyper-local level. We believe small gifts can inspire and empower new leaders across the country, and the world, to deepen our connections to each other and inspire kinder communities. Experienced partners like the NAACP and Hello Alice bring deep expertise to reaching small businesses owned by people of color that historically have less access to capital.
Learn more about the grant and apply here.
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