Citizens Community Champion Award

The BGV Pitch program flips the traditional pitch experience on its head: we coach entrepreneurs, host a live crowdfunded pitch competition, and connect you to community and professionals to support you on your journey. We democratize funding by allowing the audience to vote with their dollars using our Raisify platform for the founders whose pitch they favor. Each founder has 3 minutes to pitch, followed by a 2-minute Q&A with the audience. Winners will receive cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, access to the BGV Connect Incubator, and a network of business owners and investors.

The Digital Sandbox KC Grant provides early-stage technology entrepreneurs and startups in the Kansas City region with up to $20,000 in proof-of-concept funding to support the development and validation of new digital technology innovations. Administered by the Technology Venture Studio within the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Innovation Center and supported by partners including the Missouri Technology Corporation, the program is designed to help founders advance early-stage concepts toward commercialization and prepare them for follow-on funding. Awardees are selected quarterly and, in addition to funding, receive critical project feedback, mentorship, and industry support. Funds may be used for proof-of-concept needs such as project personnel and consultants, market research and validation, equipment, prototyping, and beta testing. Notably, the program does not fund businesses directly — instead, approved projects are funded through a contract between Digital Sandbox KC and a project vendor selected by the client business, and that vendor cannot hold any ownership stake in the company. The program broadly serves new innovation in information technology, with past recipients working in areas such as mobile apps, big data, software platforms, hardware, tangible products, and health care IT.

Elevate Vermont gives matching grants to Vermont-based companies that have received a Phase I or II award from the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. The maximum grant is $50,000. Companies can use the funds to support market research, develop new sales materials, and offset marketing expenses.

New Mexico has one of the most generous training incentive programs in the country. The Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP) funds classroom and on-the-job training for newly created jobs in expanding or relocating businesses for up to 6 months. The program reimburses 50-90% of employee wages. Custom training at a New Mexico public educational institution may also be reimbursed. Businesses eligible for consideration include: -Companies that manufacture or produce a product in New Mexico -Non-retail service companies that export a substantial percentage of services out of state (50% or more of revenues and/or customer base). Software development companies, customer support centers and product testing laboratories are three examples of businesses that have qualified in this category -Certain green industries

The Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program provides additional resources for small businesses whose proven business models and technologies are helping accelerate innovation in the state. Small businesses who have an active Phase I or Phase II Federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant are eligible for non-dilutive funding from the Innovate Alabama Supplemental Grant Program. This unique grant program provides support for recipients who do not need to exchange shares of their company for the grant. These businesses have proven through scientific review that their technologies are viable, valuable and scalable.