100 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN KING AND PIERCE COUNTIES AWARDED A TOTAL OF $1 MILLION THROUGH COMCAST RISE Program Has Reached More Than 6,700 Small Businesses of Color with over $60 Million in Grants, Marketing, and Technology Services to Date
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November 23, 2021 06:32 AM Pacific Standard Time
Comcast today announced it will award $1 million in total grants as well as technology and marketing resources to more than 100 small businesses owned by people of color in King and Pierce Counties. 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.
With today’s announcement, 100 selected businesses in King and Pierce Counties will each receive a $10,000 grant. Additional small businesses will receive marketing or technology support such as a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity services from Comcast Business.
A complete list of the 100 Comcast RISE grant recipients in King and Pierce Counties is available at: https://washington.comcast.com/. Some of those recipients are already making plans with how to leverage the grant to improve their business.
“This grant is like a new beginning for my business after the struggles of the pandemic,” shared Michael Douangluxay-Cloud of Mainasty Productions, which produces short films, feature films, web series, podcasts, and commercials with a focus on People of color narratives. “I can’t wait to be able to explore my ideas and be able to take risks to take our business to the next level.”
“For us at Mediums Collective, the Comcast RISE Grant represents hope, equity, and economic growth for ourselves and our community,” added Roger Maldonado, Mediums Collective founder. “This grant will serve as motivation for us to continue putting in the work and becoming industry leaders. As a minority-owned business, we often face many systemic barriers when it comes to accessing capital. To know that companies are stepping up and providing financial opportunities is movement in the right direction”
“We know that there is an immense and ongoing need to support small businesses, especially when those businesses represent some of the most marginalized communities. GSBA has been committed to actively promoting the Comcast RISE program to our members and to local small businesses owned by people of color to connect them with this much-needed help,” said Mark Rosen, Acting President & CEO, GSBA. “This kind of work helps us all move the mission to build a more just and equitable society and we thank Comcast for their partnership and collaboration to make a difference.”
“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 Teresa Ward-Maupin, Senior Vice President, Digital and Customer Experience, Comcast Business. “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 of color in 432 cities across 34 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 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, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength, and Empowerment, is part of Project UP, Comcast’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help provide underrepresented small business owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to thrive. Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will reach an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world.
The program will continue to be open to racially and ethnically diverse small business owners and the expanded Comcast RISE eligibility to all women-owned businesses will be effective on January 16, 2022. More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com.
About Comcast Business
Comcast Business offers a suite of Connectivity, Communications, Networking, Cybersecurity, Wireless, and Managed Solutions to help organizations of different sizes prepare for what’s next. Powered by the nation’s largest Gig-speed broadband network, and backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and mid-size businesses and one of the leading service providers to the Enterprise market. Comcast Business has been consistently recognized by industry analysts and associations as a leader and innovator, and one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet services. For more information, call 866-429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.
About Effectv
Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66 markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers. For more information, visit www.effectv.com.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with over 56 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
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