Second round of Comcast RISE Investment Fund
will award $10,000 grants to 600 additional small businesses in
Houston, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities, and Washington,
D.C bringing the total of grants to $11 million.
1,100 more businesses will also receive Comcast
RISE marketing and technology support, bringing total awardees to
nearly 4,700 since program launched in late 2020
Comcast announced today a second round of cities to receive
grants from the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, providing $6 million
additional dollars to hundreds of small businesses owned by people
of color, including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American
owners, among others, bringing the total to $11 million in grants
awarded as part of the Comcast RISE Investment Fund initiative.
Beginning on October 1, and through October 14, eligible
businesses in Houston, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities,
and Washington, D.C. can apply for a $10,000 grant at
www.ComcastRISE.com. A total of 100 grants per city, or 600 grants
overall, will be awarded in November 2021. 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 today and in the future.
Comcast RISE Recipients to Date
Comcast also announced its fourth round of Comcast RISE
recipients, which includes 1,100 small businesses owned by people
of color, that will receive 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. To date, nearly
4,700 Comcast RISE awardees have been announced and the program
will have supported 13,000 small businesses 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 to help grow their businesses, create jobs, and
play a vital role in supporting our communities. This new round of
Comcast RISE grants will provide more entrepreneurs of color with
the resources and tools they need to scale their businesses and
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. Businesses must be in the following geographic locations
to be eligible: Miami, FL (Miami-Dade and Broward Counties);
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,
Scott, and Washington Counties); Oakland, CA (City of Oakland);
Seattle, WA (King and Pierce Counties); and Washington, D.C.
(Wards 1-8).
To help drive awareness about the program and provide additional
support, training, and mentorship, Comcast has also awarded support
to Operation Hope, Ureeka, U.S. Black Chambers, U.S. Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Heritage Foundation, National Asian
American Chamber of Commerce, National CAPACD, Native Women Lead,
National Congress of American Indians, Walker’s Legacy, Women
Impacting Public Policy, Blavity.org, and nearly 40 community-based
organizations in Houston, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, the Twin Cities,
and Washington, D.C.
“Ureeka is proud of the commitment that Comcast is making to
entrepreneurs of color, and we are humbled to be a part of this
program,” said, Melissa Bradley, Co-Founder, Ureeka. “We know there
are stark racial disparities in access to capital and resources for
entrepreneurs of color – in fact, studies show that business owners
of color are twice as likely as all business owners to report ‘lack
of access to business loans/credit’ as a reason for closure. This
program helps bridge the gap between survival and failure in the
midst of a pandemic which continues to further exaggerate systemic
injustices. The additional coaching and community connections that
these businesses receive, in addition to monetary funding or
services, will help these businesses gain valuable skills and
opportunities that will help them move from survive to thrive.”
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. As noted above, the Comcast RISE Investment Fund will
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.
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’s Ongoing Commitment to Advancing Digital
Equity
Comcast RISE is part of Comcast’s ongoing efforts to advance
digital equity and help provide underrepresented small business
owners with access to the digital tools and funding they need to
thrive. Over the next 10 years, Comcast has committed $1 billion to
programs and partnerships that will reach 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.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and
technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We
are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming
with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and
Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our
Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and
stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal
Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios,
the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks,
Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky
Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and
Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit
www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
About Comcast Business
Comcast Business offers Ethernet, Internet, Wi-Fi, Voice, TV and
Managed Enterprise Solutions to help organizations of all sizes
transform their business. Powered by an advanced network, and
backed by 24/7 customer support, Comcast Business is one of the
largest contributors to the growth of Comcast Cable. Comcast
Business is the nation’s largest cable provider to small and
mid-size businesses and has emerged as a force in the Enterprise
market; recognized over the last two years by leading industry
associations as one of the fastest growing providers of Ethernet
services. For more information, visit www.business.comcast.com or
call 866- 429-3085. Follow on Twitter @ComcastBusiness and on other
social media networks at http://business.comcast.com/social.
About Effectv
Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps
local, regional and national advertisers use the best of digital
with the power of TV to grow their business. It provides
multi-screen marketing solutions to make advertising campaigns more
effective and easier to execute. Headquartered in New York with
offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in 66
markets with nearly 35 million owned and represented subscribers.
For more information, visit www.effectv.com.
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Media: William Bell 347-730-7758
William_Bell2@comcast.com
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