Comcast Supports Small Business Growth in King County

Today, we announced a major boost for small businesses in King County, awarding 100 local entrepreneurs with new Comcast RISE grant packages designed to help them grow, innovate, and strengthen the communities they serve. These awardees will receive a technology makeover powered by Comcast Business, creative production and a media schedule from Comcast Advertising, educational resources, a $5,000 monetary grant, and business consultation services. These grants will be awarded in September 2025.

Each Comcast RISE recipient will receive a comprehensive grant package that includes:

• TECHNOLOGY MAKEOVER – Computer equipment and 12 months of internet, voice, and cybersecurity services by Comcast Business.
• CREATIVE PRODUCTION & MEDIA – Professionally produced 30-second TV commercial, media strategy consultation, and a 180-day linear media schedule from Comcast Advertising.
• EDUCATION RESOURCES – 24/7 access for one-year to online entrepreneurship courses, learning modules, and resources for small business owners.
• MONETARY GRANT – $5,000 monetary grant to support business operations or growth initiatives.
• BUSINESS COACHING – Personalized assessment and coaching sessions to help business owners identify opportunities to grow their businesses.

The 2025 Comcast RISE recipients in King County include:

“I’m a beekeeper, not an email marketer, and in our business, there’s a lot we need help with, like email automations, strategy and marketing to support sales and growth,” said Amy Beth Nolte, co-owner of Rainy Day Bees, a Seattle-area beekeeping business specializing in local honey and beeswax candles. “Each piece of this grant really fits a need we have right now and will help push us forward.” 

Gail Thompson owns Junebug’s, a Seattle company whose Hallelu-jah! Hallelu-jah! Sauce was created in 1986 in the kitchen of Thompson’ Point of View (Thompson’s), a family-owned southern Creole restaurant formerly located in the heart of the Seattle’s Central District.

“We have quite a few ideas to expand and grow, we just need the funding and support,” said Gail Thompson, owner of Junebug’s, a Seattle company whose Hallelu-jah! Sauce has attracted a large following in the region. “These resources from Comcast will help us plan more strategically and better leverage some of the processes we already have in place so we can grow our wholesale customer base and get our sauce on more shelves.”

“Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer, Comcast Corporation & President, Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “Comcast RISE is just one of the ways we’re investing in entrepreneurs who drive innovation, create jobs, and build stronger communities. This is about more than grants, it’s about providing the resources and support to drive long-term local impact.”

Now in its fifth year, Comcast RISE is part of Project UP, the company’s $1 billion initiative to connect people to the internet, provide digital opportunity, and build a future of Unlimited Possibilities. To date, RISE has provided a total of $160 million in monetary, marketing, and technology resources to 14,500 small businesses nationwide ─ underscoring Comcast’s belief that when small businesses thrive, communities thrive.

In addition to King County, grant recipients were announced in four other regions: Boston, MA; Grand Rapids, MI; Nashville, TN; and South Valley, UT, for a total of 500 recipients this year.

Comcast Business powers more small businesses in America than any other provider, plus equips them with the advanced technology solutions they need to thrive.

Comcast Advertising is a global leader in media, technology and advertising that fosters powerful connections between brands and their audiences.