We launched the next wave of our Comcast RISE program in Washington! Small businesses owned by people of color in King and Pierce Counties, may now apply for a $10,000 grant from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund. Comcast will award $1 million in grants to 100 eligible businesses in these two counties, as well as technology and marketing resources to eligible businesses statewide.
Comcast RISE Investment Fund
October 1, and through October 14, eligible businesses can apply for Comcast RISE monetary grants, and, or marketing and technology services at www.ComcastRISE.com. Winners will be notified in November. Local small businesses seeking more information about the $10,000 grants, may learn more about the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, eligibility requirements, and how to apply by watching this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXVAf3-Mxys&t=21s
The Investment Fund is an extension of Comcast RISE, the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in October 2020 to support small businesses owned by people of color and provide the resources and tools they need to thrive for years to come. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is focused on small businesses that have been in business for three or more years with 1-25 employees.
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 nationwide to apply for one or more of the following support focus areas with the opportunity to receive one.
- Marketing Services: 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.
- Consulting: Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research, and creative teams to gain insights on how to drive business.
- Technology Makeovers: 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. The Comcast RISE Investment Fund will now provide an additional $6 million in grants to 600 small businesses owned by people of color in six cities: Miami, Houston, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington, D.C.
To date, more than 70 small businesses owned by people of color in Washington have been awarded Comcast RISE Marketing and Tech Makeovers. These services may include 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 Ureeka, an online platform for entrepreneurs with a specialized online networking community with educational resources, sources of capital, and vetted experts.
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.
To help drive awareness about the program and provide additional support and training in King and Pierce Counties, Comcast is partnering with the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Latino Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and and Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA).
Comcast’s Ongoing Commitment to Advancing Digital Equity
Comcast RISE is part of an expanded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) commitment that Comcast announced in June 2020, as well as an ongoing cross-company effort to address digital inequities. Over the next 10 years, Comcast is pledging $1 billion to programs and partnerships that will connect an estimated 50 million people with the skills, opportunities, and resources they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world. More information and the applications to apply for either the grant program or marketing and technology services are available at www.ComcastRISE.com.
