Twelve U.S. small businesses will be visiting Google headquarters in California. All twelve are part of a program aimed at investment in small community businesses with a plan for growth. The businesses have been awarded a share of $3 million in Mission Main Street Grants.
The grants, offered by Chase, are intended to enable them to make huge leaps in their development that would not be possible without additional funding.
Recipients include businesses like Edibles Rex, a company dedicated to providing nutritious food for children in Detroit’s charter schools. Learn more about the company in the video below:
Each of the 12 businesses received $250,000 from the Main Street Mission Grants program. The funding will allow each business to significantly grow some aspect of their operations over the next two years.
In a prepared release on the grants, Chase Business Banking CEO Scott Geller explained:
“We hope these twelve exceptional businesses take their innovative products and creative approaches to new heights through their Mission Main Street grant.”
Businesses were chosen from among 35,000 applicants from all 50 states seeking to be considered for the funding. They were then voted on by the general public and their supporters who were all able to view applicants’ profiles on the Main Street Mission Grants website.
A total 1.7 million people online participated in voting for their favorite business and each business needed at least 250 votes to qualify for the final phase of the contest where winners were selected, Chase reports.
The trip to Google headquarters is also part of the prize. There business leaders will take part in a marketing workshop designed to help them market their products and services more effectively.
The other 11 winners of the Chase Mission Main Street Grants include:
ABL Denim, Manufacturing, Los Angeles, CA
Axelo Inc., Healthcare, Austin, TX
buzzy4painrelief.com, Healthcare, Atlanta, GA
Chemo Beanies, Retailers, Covington, LA
Curious Jane, Education & Training, Brooklyn, NY
Living Design Studios, Inc, Builders & Construction, Lafayette, CO
Milagros de México, Retailer, San Francisco, CA
Overnight Success Inc., Builders & Construction, Miami, FL
Rolling in Dough Pizza, Restaurants/Bars, Greenport, NY
Shaktea Kombucha, Manufacturing, Fairfield, IA
The Robot Garage, Retailers, Birmingham, MI
Image: Mission Main Street Grants
A quarter of a million dollars is a big shot in the arm. Congrats!
Anita Campbell
It is, Robert!
And congratulations to all the others who participated in Mission Main Street. Even if you didn’t win this year, the experience of participating is valuable, and prepares you for next year and for competing in other awards and competitions.
– Anita
Super big well done to all the businesses that won a grant! And they get to go to Google too? And take a marketing workshop?
Another thing: all 12 winners get to meet each other and network and perhaps work together on projects in the future.
Congrats to all the winners – you’ve got yourself quite a help in term of funding and consulting.
Aira Bongco
Congratulations! But I must admit that I envy the free visit. I guess it must have been my dream to see the people working behind Google. But that’s just me.
We’re disappointed in Chase and Google.
We bank at Chase, use Paymentech and all Google services.
While it is terrific that they gave away $3M, to qualify you “have been actively engaged in…Business….for at least two (2)yrs…..”
No disrespect intended to the winners, but they just gave $3M to cos that should be able to get a bank loan.
We yearn for 2 yrs financials so we may go to Chase and borrow money, instead of trying to find angels to purchase equity or loan us money.
So, way to give it to cos that should be able to get the money they need anyway. Unless they haven’t done a good job running their business.
Were you afraid earlier stage cos might have a higher failure rate, potentially reflecting poorly on you?