One of the most important factors to consider when you are applying for a grant is the deadlines that are placed on them. While some grants have a timeline of several months, others might only have a couple of weeks. That is why you should apply as soon as possible when you become aware of any grant. This will dramatically increase your chances of winning the grant.
With that in mind, several grants are set to expire at the end of May. These grants come from across the country, addressing a range of issues to help small businesses.
With up to $10,000, communities are offering accelerator funds and micro-grants to restaurants, startups, construction relief, childcare, and more. These grants have several different deadlines within the month of May, so make sure to look them up and apply as soon as possible.
The second annual Small Business Grants by Amazon Business will offer help by fostering innovation and supporting small businesses that make a positive impact in their communities. The Small Business Grants program offers over $250,000 in grants to eligible small businesses in the U.S. with annual revenues of $1 million or less.
Small Business News May 5, 2023
From increased prime rate by Wells Fargo to the welcomed news of lower gas prices, read the rest of the news affecting small businesses.
Wells Fargo Bank Raises Prime Rate Again, Affecting Small Business Loans
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., announced it will increase its prime rate from 8.00% to 8.25%, effective May 4, 2023. This change could impact small business owners who rely on loans tied to the prime rate for funding and growth. This increase follows an increase in the bank’s prime rate just last month. Wells Fargo is a financial services company with approximately $1.
Texas Tax Preparer Faces Prison Time Over False Returns
A Texas woman, Adela Cruz, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for assisting clients in preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). From 2014 to 2017, Cruz ran a tax preparation business in Uvalde County, Texas. To increase her clients’ tax refunds, she falsely claimed education credits, dependents, and business profits or losses on their returns.
Zoho Announces 65% YOY Upmarket Growth
Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, has announced upmarket growth of 65% YoY, accompanied by a series of investments and innovations aimed at enhancing customer experience for small businesses. The company now boasts over 90 million users across more than 600,000 global businesses, demonstrating its widespread appeal and impact.
Snapchat’s AI Chatbot, My AI, Provides Personalized Location Recommendations
Snapchat announced that its AI-powered chatbot, My AI, is now available to the Snapchat community. Early reactions have been positive, and the company is grateful for the feedback that will help improve the chatbot experience. There have been questions about how My AI uses location information, and Snapchat has taken steps to clarify the process.
Zoho Integrates ChatGPT to Enhance Small Business User Experience
Zoho has announced a major investment in AI technology by integrating OpenAI’s ChatGPT into Zia, Zoho’s powerful AI engine. This move aims to greatly improve customer experience, add significant value, and better protect user privacy for small business owners while upholding Zoho’s core tenets of customer experience, privacy, and value.
Zoho Launches New Web Browser, Ulaa, With a Privacy-Centric Focus
Ulaa, a new privacy-centric web browser developed by Zoho Corporation, has been launched to provide users with a surveillance-free browsing experience.
Zoho Unveils New Tools to Help Entrepreneurs and Solopreneurs with Business Development
Zoho Corporation, a global technology leader, has announced a suite of new tools specifically designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs and solopreneurs in starting, building, and running their businesses.
The Latest YouTube Trends: Virtual Humans, Majorette Dancing, and More
To keep YouTubers, including small business owners, ahead of the curve, YouTube is launching a new series highlighting global trends. Here are some key trends and insights that could potentially affect your small business. Virtual Humans VTubers, animated personas popularized in Japan, garner over 1.5B monthly views.
Google Workspace Unveils APIs Explorer: A Powerful Tool for Small Businesses
Small businesses have something new to cheer about with the recent launch of the Google Workspace APIs Explorer, a tool that helps users interact with Google Workspace APIs without the need to write any code. This innovative tool is set to transform the way small businesses understand and use Google Workspace APIs, offering an easier, more visual way to explore these interfaces.
SBA Under Fire for Ignoring Bipartisan Concerns
Small business owners may be affected by the ongoing criticism aimed at the Small Business Administration (SBA) over its lending policies. U.S.
ADP: Small Businesses Gain 121K Jobs in April
Strong hiring, along with a deceleration in pay growth, contributed to a private sector “burst of hiring” increase of 296,000 jobs in April, according to the ADP National Employment Report. The largest decrease in jobs was in manufacturing, where 38,000 jobs were lost. Small businesses contributed 121,000 of the job gains.
IRS Unveils Resources and Highlights Tax Benefits for National Small Business Week
In celebration of National Small Business Week, taking place from April 30 to May 6, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is spotlighting tax benefits and offering an array of resources to assist those contemplating starting a business.
Amazon Announces Promising First Quarter Results for 2023
Amazon.com, Inc. has released its first-quarter financial results for 2023, showing significant growth despite an uncertain economic climate. The company reported that net sales increased by 9% to reach $127.4 billion, compared with $116.4 billion in the first quarter of 2022. Even with an unfavorable impact of $2.
YouTube Unveils New AI-Powered Music Ad Solutions to Help Small Businesses Reach Gen Z Audiences
In a strategic move to help small businesses capitalize on Gen Z’s engagement with music, YouTube has launched innovative AI-powered music ad solutions. As a small business owner, these tools can offer you an effective avenue to reach and connect with Gen Z audiences who are highly active on YouTube.
Small Businesses Rally Against WOTUS Rule in Latest Court Filings, Citing Potential Harm
Small businesses, led by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), are continuing their legal battle against the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rule on the Waters of the United States (WOTUS).
Ohio Man Sentenced Over Cryptocurrency Theft in Connection to Darknet Bitcoin Mixer
An Ohio resident, Gary James Harmon, has been sentenced to four years and three months in prison for stealing over 712 Bitcoins. These bitcoins were proceeds from the darknet bitcoin mixer Helix and were part of a pending criminal forfeiture case.
Subway Records Double-Digit Global Sales Growth, Indicating Positive Momentum
Subway, one of the world’s largest restaurant brands, has reported its ninth consecutive quarter of positive sales, marking an important milestone in its multi-year transformation journey.
Labor Shortage Issues Examined in Subcommittee Hearing on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development
Small businesses across the United States are experiencing a severe labor shortage, according to a hearing held by the Small Business Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development.
Small Business Owners Experience Relief as Oil Prices Dip and Gasoline Prices Fall
The price of oil has taken a downturn. This decline is causing a drop in pump prices across the nation, providing some much-needed economic relief. According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has dropped five cents from last week, currently standing at $3.63. AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross says, “The national average reached $3.
Adobe’s Frame.io Expands Its Collaboration Tools to Include Photos and PDFs
Adobe has announced the expansion of Frame.io’s collaborative platform to include photos and PDF documents.
East Coast Storage Equipment Unveils Rackulator
Understanding and planning for warehouse storage needs can be a daunting task for small business owners. However, East Coast Storage Equipment (ECSE), a trusted name in the material handling and storage equipment industry, is aiming to make this task easier with the launch of their innovative online tool, Rackulator.
AWS Enhances GuardDuty with New Security Capabilities
Amazon Web Services (AWS), a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., has announced three new capabilities for its threat detection service, Amazon GuardDuty, to bolster customer security through improved machine learning, anomaly detection, and integrated threat intelligence.
Etsy Reveals Top Decor Trends for 2023
Etsy, known for its well-crafted, well-priced decor and furniture, has unveiled the biggest decor trends for 2023. These trends offer a wealth of opportunities for small businesses in the home goods sector, which can leverage these insights to cater to the evolving tastes of their customer base.
Shopify Launches Bill Pay: A Time-Saving Tool for Merchant Expenses
Shopify, a leading ecommerce platform, is launching a new tool, Shopify Bill Pay, offering merchants the ability to manage and pay vendors directly from the Shopify admin dashboard, with no subscription fees. This new tool will help small business owners save an average of 16 hours per month on business bill payments and will be twice as fast as other B2B expense solutions.
How to Lead with Wonder (and Live a Happier Life)
How do you live a lead your company and still live a wonderful life? This is a question small business owners have been trying to answer forever, but it is now even more important since the COVID pandemic.
eBay Q1 2023 Financials Outperform Projections
eBay Inc. has released its financial outcomes for the first quarter of 2023, surpassing expectations with revenues reaching $2.5 billion, a 1% increase on an as-reported basis and 3% increase on a foreign exchange (FX) neutral basis. These figures send a strong signal to the small business community about the platform’s resilience and potential growth opportunities.
FDIC Optimistic About Timely Recovery of Deposit Insurance Fund Despite Bank Failures
Small business owners can breathe a sigh of relief as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) recently confirmed that the projected timeline for the restoration of the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will not be significantly impacted by the recent failure of two large banks. The announcement came during the FDIC’s semiannual update on the Restoration Plan for the agency’s DIF.
Former Public Official and Contractor Sentenced in California for Bribery and Bid-Rigging Scheme
In a significant development that highlights the critical importance of ethics and transparency in public contracts, a former California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) contract manager and a former contractor were sentenced for their involvement in a bid-rigging and bribery plot connected to Caltrans improvement and repair contracts.
Creative AAPI Business Owners Can Apply for Grants and Prizes from JOANN
Starting a creative business requires access to quality supplies. One of the top destinations for many creative businesses, JOANN, recently launched a program to support creative business owners. Read about the opportunity and other small business grants below.
