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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Comcast RISE Investment Fund Provides $21 Million in Grants to Support Small Businesses Hardest Hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Key Takeaways

Small businesses in Chicago, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. are now eligible to apply for a $10,000 grant from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, bringing the total to $21 million in grants since the program’s inception just 23 months ago.
To date, more than 9,500 small businesses have received marketing, technology or grant support from the Comcast RISE program.

New York, NY

Today, Comcast announced a new round of cities will receive grants from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, providing an additional $5 million to hundreds of small businesses owned by people of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners, and women, bringing the total to $21 million in grants awarded as part of the Investment Fund initiative.

Beginning on October 3, and through October 16, eligible businesses in Chicago, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. can apply for a $10,000 grant at www.ComcastRISE.com. A total of 100 grants per city, or 500 grants overall, will be announced and awarded in November 2022. The Investment Fund is an extension of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October 2020 to support small businesses and provide the resources and tools they need today and in the future. 

500

Grants will be announced and awarded in November 2022

In addition, Comcast RISE invests in ongoing mentorship and resources to help businesses succeed over the long-term. The program has partnered with Ureeka, an online platform for entrepreneurs, to provide grant recipients with business coaching to help build skills in company foundation, growing customers and financial stability. All Comcast RISE recipients will also have a specialized online networking community within Ureeka with access to educational resources, sources of capital, and vetted experts such as U.S. Black Chambers, National Asian Pacific Islander Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, Walker’s Legacy and Operation Hope.

Comcast RISE Recipients to Date

The Comcast RISE program has awarded thousands of small businesses owned by people of color and women additional grants in the form of a TV campaign, production of a TV commercial or consulting services from Effectv or computer equipment, internet, voice or cybersecurity from Comcast Business, as well as access to coaching from Ureeka. To date, more than 9,500 Comcast RISE awardees have been announced and the program is on track to provide support for 13,000 small businesses by the end of 2022. 

13K

Small businesses to be supported by Comcast RISE by the end of 2022

“While we know that no single organization can solve historic and systemic inequities overnight, we are committed to taking tangible actions that can drive long-term impact and change,” said Teresa Ward-Maupin, Senior Vice President, Digital and Customer Experience, Comcast Business. “Comcast RISE and the Comcast RISE Investment Fund offer the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color and women to help grow their businesses, create jobs, and play a vital role in supporting our communities.” 

This new round of Comcast RISE Investment Fund grants will provide more entrepreneurs with the resources and tools they need to scale their businesses and thrive for years to come.
Teresa Ward-Maupin
Senior Vice President, Digital and Customer Experience, Comcast Business

The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses that have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees. For the current round, businesses must be in the following geographic locations to be eligible in this round: Chicago, IL (Cook County), Miami, FL (Miami-Dade and Broward Counties), Oakland, CA (City of Oakland), Seattle, WA (King and Pierce Counties), Washington, D.C. (Wards 1-8).

Comcast RISE Marketing and Technology Services 

In addition to the Investment Fund, Comcast RISE, which stands for “Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment,” provides the opportunity for small businesses owned by people of color and women nationwide to apply for grants for one or more of the following support focus areas with the opportunity to receive one. 

  • Marketing Services Grant: The following services from Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, and its creative agency, Mnemonic, are designed to help recipients with their marketing and media campaigns, including: 
  • Media: A linear TV media campaign to run over a 90-day period. 
  • Creative Production: Turnkey :30 TV commercial production, plus a media strategy consultation and 90-day media placement schedule. 
  • Consult: Digital audits by Ureeka in the form of Website Repair Reports and SEO Keyword reports to target website mechanics and effective organic marketing
  • Technology Makeover Grants: The state-of-the-art equipment and technology upgrade from Comcast Business includes computer equipment as well as Internet, Voice, and Cybersecurity services for up to a 12-month period. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for technology makeover services.)  
  • Monetary Grants: In round one, which was announced in April of 2021, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided $5 million in grants to 500 small businesses owned by people of color in five cities: Philadelphia/Chester, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit. In round two, which was announced in September of 2021, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided $6 million in grants to 600 small businesses in six cities: Miami, Houston, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C. In round three, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund provided an additional $5 million in grants to 500 small businesses owned by people of color and women in five cities: Atlanta, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the Twin Cities. As noted above, in round four, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund will provide $5 million in grants to 500 small businesses in Chicago, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

All eligible applicants will receive a monthly Comcast RISE newsletter with educational content, and all small business owners can visit the Comcast RISE destination on the X1 platform featuring aggregated small business news, tips, insights, and more. Just say “Comcast RISE” into the X1 voice remote. 

Comcast RISE 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