NORTH AMERICAN BUSINESS
  • HOME
  • SUSTAINABILITY
  • INVEST
  • MARKET
  • PARTNERSHIP
  • INNOVATION
  • PEOPLE
  • INSIGHTS
No Result
View All Result
NORTH AMERICAN BUSINESS
  • HOME
  • SUSTAINABILITY
  • INVEST
  • MARKET
  • PARTNERSHIP
  • INNOVATION
  • PEOPLE
  • INSIGHTS
No Result
View All Result
NORTH AMERICAN BUSINESS
No Result
View All Result
Home ALL Financial

American Express’ Coalition to Back Black Businesses Awards $25,000 Enhancement Grants to 25 Black-Owned Small Businesses

by Ed Johnson
July 22, 2021
A A

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– American Express (NYSE: AXP) today announced that the Coalition to Back Black Businesses will award 25 Black-owned small businesses from the Coalition’s 2020 grant program an additional $25,000 enhancement grant to support their long-term success and resilience. Approximately 60% of the grant recipients were Black women-owned small businesses and 75% were Black-owned businesses with six or fewer employees.

“My business and life have done a full 180 since receiving support from the Coalition to Back Black Businesses program,” said Deandre Wade, owner of Fresh Sportswear, a small business in Antioch, TN that designs and manufactures custom uniforms for sports teams, with a focus on youth. “With the enhancement grant, I will be moving my business out of my living room and purchasing the tools and equipment needed to begin mass-producing our products.”

Established in September 2020, the Coalition to Back Black Businesses is a multi-year grantmaking and training initiative with an initial $10 million commitment to help support and empower Black-owned small businesses. Through 2024, the Coalition will distribute $5,000 grants to qualifying Black-owned small businesses each fall and will provide the opportunity to apply for select $25,000 enhancement grants the following spring. In addition, the Coalition is providing grant recipients with exclusive access to mentorship programs, training and online resources to help them grow and manage their businesses.

American Express established the Coalition to Back Black Businesses, a first-of-its-kind collaboration with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and four major Black chambers, including the National Black Chamber of Commerce, National Business League, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., and Walker’s Legacy. The AIG Foundation℠, Altice USA (Optimum & Suddenlink), Cummins Inc., Dow, and Stanley Black & Decker joined the effort as partners, contributing additional funds and resources to help advance the Coalition’s work.

In its first year, the Coalition partners distributed 600 grants to Black-owned small businesses located in 33 states. The initial funds supported a wide range of critical business needs including paying employees, repaying debts, covering rent and utility bills, developing e-commerce capabilities, funding PPE purchases and expanding or pivoting business models. Grant recipients from 2020 were invited to apply for additional funds through the enhancement grants to help sustain and grow their businesses.

“The Coalition to Back Black Businesses gave us an opportunity to re-invest back into our business through marketing and advertising,” stated Melissa Hyles, owner of Oak Tree Financial and Tax Services, a family-owned financial services firm that has served the Rancho Cucamonga, CA area for over 25 years. “With the first grant of $5,000, we were able to update our website, which allowed us to have a much more visible presence on the internet. We plan on using the $25,000 enhancement grant to continue investing in marketing, opening a second location, and starting a mentorship program for our community so that we can pay it forward and give back.”

25 RECIPIENTS OF THE ENHANCEMENT GRANTS

American Express worked closely with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and a selection board comprised of Coalition representatives to select the 25 grantees from across the U.S. The 25 Black-owned small businesses hail from 14 states and across 9 industries, with the largest percentage of grants awarded to small businesses in the trade and services, retail and healthcare industries. The leading reasons for requesting an enhancement grant included developing a stronger online presence, relocating to a larger physical space and increasing marketing efforts.

The full list of grantees includes:

Business Name (Industry)LocationOwner
424 Fashionz LLC (Sales)Duluth, GeorgiaDelores Salley
Alexandria Primary Care Clinic (Healthcare & Medical)Alexandria, LouisianaMelanie LaCour
Be-Moor Radio, L3C (Advertising, Arts & Media)Detroit, MichiganDennis Talbert
Daemarii’s Unique Boutique, LLC (Sales)Macon, GeorgiaVirginia Sharp
Dancing with the Nordés, LLC (Education & Training)Lansing, MichiganTiffany Nordé
Elk City Auto Spa (Trades & Services)Charleston, West VirginiaC. Anthony Parker
Everybody’s Juice (Food and Beverage)Washington DCNajee Ellerbe
Excel Cleaning Services (Trades & Services)Nashville, TennesseeCaryn Clopton
Fresh Sportswear (Sport & Recreation)Antioch, TennesseeDeandre Wade
Genesis Printing Co, Inc. (Trades & Services)Jacksonville, ArkansasGoldman Jackson Jr.
Hands N Harmony (Trades & Services)Universal City, TexasNancy Brewington
Harness Innovation (Education & Training)Detroit, MichiganSean Harness
Heartsleeve (Sales)New Orleans, LouisianaBernie January Jr.
Hope Pharmacy Inc (Healthcare & Medical)Richmond, VirginiaShantelle Brown
Impact 4 Change, PLLC (Healthcare & Medical)Houston, TexasCatherine Mukes
Julia Lynn Productions Inc (Education & Training)Bronx, New YorkLaVerne Bowen
Keeping It Clean Commercial Cleaning (Trades & Services)Saginaw, MichiganCecilia Webb
L & R Human Resource Consulting, LLC (Human Resources­)Bossier City, LouisianaMary Webber
Lamik, Inc (Sales)Houston, TexasKim Roxie
Let’s Go Outdoors (Education & Training)Cheltenham, PennsylvaniaTarsha Scovens
Oak Tree Financial and Tax Services (Banking & Financial Services)Rancho Cucamonga, CaliforniaMelissa Hyles
Paradigm Dental Center LLC (Healthcare & Medical)Memphis, TennesseeChristina Rosenthal
TBM Logistics (Sales)Raeford, North CarolinaThomas McMillan
The Suite Service (Trades & Services)New York City, New YorkJessica Ogonor
Tonnie’s Minis (Food and Beverage)Newark, New JerseyTonnie Rozier
Tags: < Corporate Events
ShareTweetShareSend

Related Industries

Financial

Barclays Expands Technology Banking Franchise with Two Senior Appointments

January 26, 2023
Financial

KKR Appoints Tim Lawler as Executive Advisor

January 18, 2023
Financial

UC Investments Creates Strategic Venture with Blackstone to Invest $4 Billion in BREIT Common Shares

January 4, 2023
Financial

Don Bailey Joins AIG as Global Head of Distribution and Field Operations

January 4, 2023
Financial

Mastercard SpendingPulse: U.S. Retail Sales Grew 7.6%* This Holiday Season

December 27, 2022
Financial

Morgan Stanley Sustainable Signals: New Survey Shows Opportunities Exist for Asset Managers to Better Meet Asset Owner Sustainable Investing Needs

December 2, 2022

Mark Parker To Be Named Chairman Of The Walt Disney Company

January 12, 2023

...

Ford’s John Savona to Retire in March, Closing 33-Year Career; Bryce Currie Will Lead Americas Manufacturing, Labor Affairs

January 12, 2023

...

Cargill Announces CFO Transition

January 10, 2023

...

AbbVie and Anima Biotech Announce Collaboration for the Discovery and Development of mRNA Biology Modulators against Oncology and Immunology Targets

January 11, 2023

...

Kohler Co. Appoints Laura Kohler as Company’s First Chief Sustainability and DEI Officer

January 20, 2023

...

BASF breaks ground on MDI capacity expansion project at Geismar site

January 12, 2023

...

Dow named one of America’s most JUST Companies for the fourth year by JUST Capital

Dow named one of America’s most JUST Companies for the fourth year by JUST Capital

January 11, 2023

...

The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center Appoints Amanda Joiner as New Global Vice President

January 11, 2023

...

SKF increases regionalization in North America

February 3, 2023

...

NORTH AMERICAN BUSINESS (www.na-biz.com) is a leading source of business and corporate news, information, industry trends, market updates and insights across a broad spectrum of industries in North America and worldwide.

INDUSTRIES

  • Aero
  • Agriculture
  • ALL
  • Automotive
  • Business Service
  • Chemical
  • Construction
  • Construction Materials
  • Consumer
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Entertainment
  • Environmental
  • F&B
  • Financial
  • Healthcare
  • Hospitality
  • Industrial
  • IT
  • IT Hardware
  • Logistic
  • Metal & Mining
  • Packaging & Paper
  • Rail
  • Real Estate
  • Telecom

CONTACT US

EDITORIAL:     editor#na-biz.com

PARTNERSHIP:     biz#na-biz.com

HUMAN RESOURCE:     hr#na-biz.com

* (replace # with @)

  • Official Site

Copyright © NA-BIZ.COM All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • SUSTAINABILITY
  • INVEST
  • MARKET
  • PARTNERSHIP
  • INNOVATION
  • PEOPLE
  • INSIGHTS

Copyright © NA-BIZ.COM All rights reserved.