New North Inc., in partnership with The Business Council (TBC) and the Ethnic & Diverse Business Coalition (EDBC), has established a microgrant fund designed to provide funding to non-profit organizations located in the New North region that support ethnic and diverse businesses in their startup or growth phase, the organization announced in a press release Friday.
The application for grants up to $20,000 – for initiatives or events taking place prior to Dec. 31, 2023 – is now available at https://www.thenewnorth.com/ethnic-diverse-microgrants-for-non-profits/. The application deadline is April 30, 2023. Based on remaining capital, a second round of applications may be funded later this year.
Examples of projects eligible for funding through the grant include training, supplier diversity and business events, entrepreneurial support, classes to remove language barriers for business customers, workshops on sales and marketing, an ethnic business showcase, and any other initiative which works to remove barriers and promotes business success.
“We know that capital is a continuing opportunity challenge for diverse businesses,” New North vice president of diversity, equity & inclusion Juan Corpus said in a statement. “We are hopeful that this microgrant fund will help to address capital as an immediate need for diverse businesses in their initial stages of operation. Assistance can be provided for any number of initiatives or support mechanisms, including a diverse business showcase which enhances awareness by bringing diverse businesses into one spot.”
“We are thankful for the long-term relationship New North has had with statewide organizations and for the partnership with The Business Council and the Ethnic & Diverse Business Coalition to establish this microgrant fund,” New North president and CEO Barb Lamue said in a statement.
The Business Council (TBC) is a business membership organization, serving as the architect of high-quality resources, education and tools to assist ethnically diverse businesses. Members of the TBC include the Ethnic & Diverse Business Coalition (EDBC), whose respective organizations work to improve the business environment in Wisconsin in order to build stronger, ethnically diverse businesses who can compete in a global economy. Member organizations of the EDBC are focused on working collaboratively to facilitate entrepreneurship and growth, to advocate collectively on shared issues and to increase each member’s organizational efficiency.
Those with questions or seeking additional information on the grant initiative can contact Corpus at juan.corpus@thenewnorth.com.
