NJ Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS)

TRANSFORM is actively anticapitalist and antiracist, continually working to identify and dismantle oppressive systems of power. Funding shouldn’t be the reason you sacrifice your business idea or your professional development. We offer growth-focused wealth redistribution grants of $1,000 to anticapitalist businesses led by social impact focused individuals. In addition to funding, grantees participate in a customized year-long growth-based mentorship program, which includes access to pro bono services from a roster of experts in branding, coaching, skill-based learning, marketing, and more. The TRANSFORM Business Grant is designed to support individuals in systemically marginalized groups who are making social impact and demonstrate financial need. This includes, but is not limited to, BIPOC individuals, individuals who have a disability, formerly incarcerated individuals, and queer, trans, and nonbinary folks.

The Main Street Acquisition Support Grant product is a pilot product under the Main Street Recovery Fund that will offer a grant of up to $50,000 to reimburse an eligible NJ small business for closing costs related to a New Jersey commercial property that the business purchased to operate from.

Transportation emissions remain the largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in the New Jersey, contributing to climate change impacts like rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and more extreme weather events. They also serve as a significant contributor for other air pollutants, like NOx and particulate matter, which have harmful environmental and health effects. Moving toward transportation electrification addresses these concerns because electric vehicles (EVs) do not produce any tailpipe emissions. New Jersey’s low-income communities and communities of color have historically been subject to an unreasonably high number of environmental and public health stressors, including transportation emissions. As a result, residents in these areas suffer from increased adverse health effects including, but not limited to, asthma, cancer, elevated blood lead levels, cardiovascular disease, and developmental disorders. Electric mobility solutions like carshare, rideshare, and ride hailing services provide additional modes of transport for residents in underserved areas, who often don’t own a personal vehicle and rely on public transportation. eMobility will help ensure they have access to and can benefit from the advantages of clean vehicle technology.

The program is intended to assist in the growth of jobs in Evanston Illinois, through entrepreneurship, helping residents and local business owners to create jobs by starting and retaining sustainable small businesses.

This program provides matching grants for research and development activities in partnership with a Nebraska college or university. Eligible businesses include for-profit companies that have physical operations in Nebraska. Phase I awards go up to $100,000, while Phase II awards are capped at $400,000. Funding can be used to commercialize new projects, modify existing products for better marketability, and improve processes to create revenue streams for Nebraska businesses.