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You may need heard of the $10,000 grants offered by Verizon’s Small Enterprise Digital Prepared grant program. The monetary grants are one of the in style options of the Verizon program, which supplies small companies the instruments and sources they should thrive in in the present day’s digital economic system. Now, Verizon is attempting one thing new with the grant program by focusing on 4 particular communities.
Along with the free programs, teaching periods and mentoring provided by the Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program, Verizon is launching a primary spherical of group grant funding in 2024 in 4 metropolitan areas: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and Phoenix. Because the grant program expands in 2024, Verizon, in partnership with LISC, will award over $1.25 million in funding to small companies.
If you’re situated in a kind of 4 communities, first you’ll want to register for this system. Then, discover extra particulars on this system by clicking on the FAQ pages on your group right here: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami or Phoenix.
If you’re not in these cities, be at liberty to register for Digital Prepared now and keep tuned about additional funding from Verizon. That is additionally a great time to take a look at the various different points this system presents to small companies and entrepreneurs, from digital expertise coaching to customized studying plans.
This system is free to hitch. Register right here to get began.
To study extra about Digital Prepared, StartupNation spoke with Brianna Ellison, director of group engagement for Verizon. Ellison elaborates on the work Verizon is doing to assist entrepreneurs and on the advantages of the Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program, together with:
- Entry to free digital expertise coaching and sources
- Monetary help to help digital transformation initiatives
- Alternatives to community with different small enterprise homeowners and specialists
- Entry to help from Verizon and its companions
As Ellison explains, Verizon is actively partnering with Michigan small companies to assist them succeed within the digital economic system, together with:
- Verizon has partnered with Grand Valley State College’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Lab to supply grants and help to veteran entrepreneurs.
- Verizon has partnered with the Metro Detroit Black Enterprise Alliance’s Capital Join Program to assist Black-owned companies entry funding and sources.
Under is the total Q&A with Ellison, which StartupNation performed in September 2022.
- What work is Verizon doing within the Detroit/Michigan group to assist small companies?
Verizon has actively partnered with Michigan small companies. We’re members of quite a few chambers of commerce and associations from throughout the state that work with small companies (such because the Detroit Regional Chamber, Grand Rapids Chamber, Dearborn Chamber, The Proper Place, MI Chamber, Automation Alley, Metro Detroit Black Enterprise Alliance, MI Enterprise Incubator Assoc.). Verizon participates in plenty of thought management occasions with these organizations to share experience and sources with their membership.
In 2021, we prolonged a grant to Grand Valley State College’s Veterans Entrepreneurship Lab. Veterans and/or army spouses work on their enterprise launch over a three-month interval. MVE-Lab equips contributors to determine their goal prospects, community with others, and discover the sources they should launch profitably and efficiently. It concludes with a Pitch Showcase awarding a minimum of $25,000 in prize cash. Visitors embody different veteran entrepreneurs, mentors, and specialists like attorneys and advertising and marketing specialists, together with the chief of Verizon’s veteran worker useful resource group who shared details about Verizon help for small enterprise homeowners alongside along with his personal private expertise as an entrepreneur.
In 2021, we additionally established a partnership between Verizon’s Professional Bono Program and the Metro Detroit Black Enterprise Alliance’s Capital Join Program. This program is making ready and connecting Metro Detroit Black-owned companies to numerous funding sources to make sure their sustained success. If any of those companies want additional authorized help or one-on-one help, the Verizon Professional Bono Program staff has agreed to work immediately with these companies to determine further authorized providers.
Lastly, in September, Verizon launched Small Enterprise Digital Prepared. This on-line curriculum is designed to offer small companies the customized instruments to reach in the present day’s digital world. This system consists of studying modules, skilled teaching, peer networking and a market of instruments and options. The free on-line useful resource is on the market to any small enterprise throughout Michigan (and nationwide) and shall be utilized by Verizon companions such because the Black Enterprise Alliance’s Capital Join Program.
- What do you imply by “Digital Prepared” and why is digital readiness necessary for small enterprise homeowners in the present day?
Digital readiness is about ensuring companies have all of the instruments and sources they should thrive in in the present day’s economic system. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unexpected challenges on entrepreneurs and additional accelerated a shift to digital methods of working. Greater than 75% of small companies pivoted their operations because of the disaster and greater than 50% of SMBs say their on-line interactions with prospects have elevated. To remain aggressive within the new financial surroundings, small companies have to be agile and adapt to shifting client preferences.
Small enterprise entrepreneurs perceive the significance of using digital instruments of their day-to-day operations, however discover it difficult to implement significant digital transformation. In keeping with knowledge revealed from Morning Seek the advice of and Verizon of their September 2020 report, “greater than two in 5 determination makers say it’s seemingly that their enterprise will increase by digital applied sciences and rely extra closely on communications.” On the identical time, greater than two-thirds of respondents acknowledged that including or transitioning to digital/on-line operations has been difficult for his or her enterprise to handle. How can we bridge this hole? Entrepreneurs want quick access—wherever they’re—to customized studying and training sources to be able to efficiently implement digital methods into their companies and have the boldness to reach the post-pandemic future.
- Why is the Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program a great useful resource for enterprise homeowners in metro Detroit and Michigan?
Dwelling to numerous analysis organizations and anchor establishments, together with a vibrant and multicultural entrepreneurial ecosystem, Detroit’s wealthy roots embody the hardworking and revolutionary ethos of its various small enterprise homeowners. Detroit has roughly 50k small companies owned by entrepreneurs of coloration and town is dedicated to making sure residents are gaining equal entry to academic and financial alternatives of the rising high-growth economic system. In keeping with a 2021 Detroit Ecosystem Evaluation, Detroit has 23% of all startup firms in Michigan and has all the vital sources to launch and develop companies which can be digital prepared. As Verizon seeks to attach BIPOC enterprise homeowners throughout the nation with this precious useful resource and create extra equitable pathways for entrepreneurs to thrive within the digital economic system, we view the small enterprise homeowners within the better metro Detroit space—and Michigan—as a vital consumer base within the effort.
Verizon’s Small Enterprise Digital Prepared program was constructed by (principally BIPOC) small companies for small companies. Jamiel Robinson, the manager director of Michigan-based enterprise growth group, Grand Rapids Space Black Companies (GRABB), was a outstanding voice within the Small Enterprise Advisory Committee that helped form this system and its choices. Various material specialists drive our content material, interactive video modules, and training occasions. In brief, entrepreneurs in metro Detroit shall be outfitted with digital methods and related learnings—by curated curriculum subjects, teaching occasions, and group teams—to use to their companies!
- What steering are the small enterprise homeowners you’re employed with looking for?
We all know typically that small enterprise homeowners are focused on studying extra about financing, digital advertising and marketing, and operational effectivity. Our customers have instructed us they’ve acquired great worth from the tutorial sources and in connecting immediately with specialists–by each one-on-one mentoring and group teaching occasions. Fifty-eight % of customers on the platform are focused on connecting with a finance skilled and 64% of customers on the platform are focused on connecting with a advertising and marketing skilled. The preferred matter areas are accessing capital, digital advertising and marketing, and bettering on-line presence. Enterprise homeowners would additionally choose to be part of a group the place they’ll study from each other, as 52% of customers need to join with friends with related pursuits.
- How can Verizon assist with group networking on a private stage, not a digital one?
Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared is constructed to be a precious software to the BDOs, Small Enterprise Growth Facilities, CDFIs and different organizations which can be on the bottom serving to small companies day-after-day. We’re partnering carefully with these kind of organizations and dealing with them to combine our sources into their choices. Small Enterprise Digital Prepared’s group part additionally lets companies join with different companies and sources by metropolis in order that they’ll hook up with help of their native space!
On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Verizon started the grassroots work of internet hosting digital group dialogues targeted on small companies in communities from throughout the state. The aim of those dialogues is to listen to concerning the nice work small enterprise homeowners and small enterprise growth organizations are presently engaged in, the present and ongoing challenges small enterprise homeowners are going through, and to debate how Verizon will be supportive shifting ahead. Attendees have included small enterprise homeowners, small enterprise help organizations and chambers of commerce.
Now greater than ever, we at Verizon will proceed to construct on the extremely precious relationships with the communities we serve. These dialogues are solely the start of what we hope shall be long-term partnerships the place we will proceed the dialog and discover future alternatives to be supportive.
- What expertise do you deliver to the group as a liaison between Verizon and small enterprise homeowners?
As a neighborhood liaison between Verizon and small enterprise homeowners, I work to construct bridges of reference to my friends, inside enterprise companions and exterior stakeholders to champion insurance policies that enrich lives and allow a digital future that serves all Michigan communities. I’m able to leverage relationships inside Verizon and with enterprise help group companions to kind coalitions to sort out the challenges small companies face, amplify successes and greatest practices, and disseminate details about Verizon instruments and sources. Reflexively, I meet with companies to take heed to their wants and drive the best way during which we deposit goodwill in our native communities and innovate to construct the networks that transfer the world ahead for everybody.
Q&A initially revealed in September 2022.
Verizon Small Enterprise Digital Prepared: A free useful resource for studying primary enterprise expertise, grants, the newest digital expertise and extra.
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