Hey Helen Grant

The Launch Marin City program offers Marin City, California small business owners a free 12-week entrepreneurship training program, with all graduates becoming eligible to apply for a grant of up to $10,000 from the County of Marin upon completion. The grant itself is not automatic; graduates apply for the funding directly with the County after finishing the program. Launch Marin City is administered by the Marin County Office of Equity and Division of Economic Vitality as part of the Marin County Microbusiness Support Program (MSP), a broader initiative funded through the 2022-2025 Marin County Race Equity Action Plan (REAP). The program is designed to give small business owners the knowledge, mentorship, and community they need to build or grow the business they envision. Each cohort accepts 20 participants and meets weekly for 12 sessions in the evening, either in person at the Marin County Free Library's Marin City Branch or via Zoom, depending on the preferences of the cohort. Curriculum topics include sharpening business goals and next steps, reaching customers and marketing the business, pricing products or services, strengthening money management and budgeting, building stronger business systems, and creating a clear plan to move the business forward. Participation is completely free (a $2,500 value covered by MSP funding). To be eligible for Launch Marin City, applicants must be a small business owner who lives or works in Marin City. Businesses from all industries and sectors are invited to apply. Applications are reviewed after each cohort's deadline, with 20 participants selected per session and applicants typically notified of acceptance approximately one week before the cohort begins.

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation is partnering to offer Entrepreneurial Training Program reimbursement of up to 75% of the $1,000 course fee. The course is designed to help early-stage startups vet their ideas and learn how to develop an investment-ready business plan. Grant recipients must comply with requirements that include meeting attendance standards and completing a business plan within six months of starting the program.

The LaunchKC Grants Competition awards early-stage startups with $60,000 in equity-free grant funding plus a year of support services in exchange for relocating their business to Kansas City, Missouri for at least one year. Administered by LaunchKC (a nonprofit community benefit organization funded largely through the State of Missouri, the Missouri Technology Corporation, and the Kansas City community) the competition invests more than $500,000 into startups annually and searches nationwide for innovative, scalable, technology-enabled early-stage companies. In addition to the cash grant, recipients receive free office space in Downtown Kansas City for one year, one-on-one mentorship with industry experts, curated programming and fundraising support, and access to the LaunchKC network of investors and partners. Eligible applicants must be for-profit entities with technology-based products or services, operate a scalable business model, and be at the validated-idea stage or later (with a minimum viable product, customer discovery, or other market validation). Applicants may come from anywhere in the U.S. or abroad but must agree to locate their headquarters or significant operations — including at least one full-time founder and 51% of full-time staff — in Kansas City, MO for the duration of the year-long program. Retail businesses with brick-and-mortar storefronts, residential real estate businesses, investment vehicles, sports venues, gaming and gambling businesses, lodging establishments, entertainment-related establishments, and past LaunchKC cash-prize winners are not eligible. Applicants are selected through a competitive three-round judging process that culminates in live in-person pitches at the LaunchKC Finals.

In order to encourage economic development and maintain the traditional small town character of Jacksonville’s city square, the Jacksonville Commercial Development Authority (CDA) is announcing a Facade Improvement Grant Program for buildings within the Public Square Overlay District. Limited funding is available and an application process is required. The purpose of the Grant Program is to rehabilitate and/or restore commercial buildings to historically compatible exterior design and encourage new investment and commercial development in Jacksonville.

Anyone who owns a farmers market in West Virginia can benefit from these grants of $5000. The money can be used towards either infrastructure, such as coolers, display cases, structures, etc., or marketing materials to promote your market. Besides traditional farmers’ markets, the grant is also open to roadside stands, consignment, on-farm stands, mobile markets, and online sellers.